The Armourer and His Craft

GQ>0<J>

1911

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE

ENDOWMENT

FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE

Cornell University Ubrary

NK6606

.F43 1912

The armourer and

Date

iSIORAGE C

3 1924 030 681 278 olin

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his craft from the xith

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THE ARMOURER AND

HIS

CRAFT

UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME

PASTE

By A. Beresford Ryley

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THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT FROM THE TO THE XVIth CENTURY By CHARLES FFOULKES, B.Litt.Oxon. XIth

WITH SIXTY-NINE DIAGRAMS

IN

THE TEXT AND THIRTY-TWO PLATES

METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.G. LONDON Kc

tf

,

First Published in

igi2

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE VISCOUNT DILLON,

Hon. M.A. Oxon.

V.P.S.A., Etc. Etc.

CURATOR OF THE TOWER ARMOURIES

PREFACE DO

I

not propose, in this work, to consider the history or development of defensive armour, for this has been more or less fully discussed in v^orks which deal with the subject from the historical

side of the question.

which

I

have rather endeavoured to compile a work

some measure, fill up a gap in the subject, by collecting all the records and references, especially in English documents, which relate to the actual making of armour and the regulations which controlled the Armourer and his Craft. At the same time it is impossible to discuss this branch of the subject without overlapping in some details the existing works on Arms and Armour, but such repetition has only been included because it bears directly on the making, selling, will, in

or wearing of armour. I

have intentionally omitted

all

reference to the sword and other

weapons of ofi^nce, for this would have unduly increased the size of the present work, and the subject is of such importance that it deserves a full consideration in a separate volume.

The since in

it

original limits of this

was offered

work have been considerably enlarged

as a thesis for

the Degree of Bachelor of Letters

Term, igii. A detail which has been

the University of Oxford in the Michaelmas

polyglot glossary has been included, as this

is

a

by all English writers. The subject of Arms and Armour has not, up to the present time, received the attention in England that it deserves, but I would be the first to admit the value of the works of Meyrick and Hewitt, which are the foundations upon practically overlooked

which German and French as well as all EngHsh authors have based At the same time it should be remembered that their investigations. these two authors were pioneers, and statements which they made have Two been contradicted or modified by more recent research.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT Meyrick named the upstanding neckguards on the pauldron the " passguards " and the neck-armour of the examples of

this will suffice.

horse the " mainfaire."

From

the researches of Viscount Dillon

learn that the passguard was a reinforcing piece for the joust

and the

Both these mistakes are

mainfaire was a gauntlet {main de fer^

we still

perpetuated in foreign works on the subject, which shows the influence

of Meyrick's work even at the present day.

The subject of the Armourer and his Craft has never received much attention in England, even at the hands of Meyrick and Hewitt.

On the

Continent, however, writers like the

late

Dr. Wendelin Boeheim,

added greatly to our store of information on the subject. Boeheim's work on the Armourers of Europe {Meister der Waffenschmiedekunsi) is the only work in any language which has given us some account of the armour craftsmen of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and I should be indeed remiss if I did not take this opportunity of acknowledging the assistance which this collection of biographies has been in the preparation of the Gurlitt, Buff,

and Angellucci have

present work.

documents

all

Signori Gelli and Moretti have collected interesting

relating to the Missaglia family, but apart

other writers have

made

from

this

no

a study of the Armourer.

Gay's Encyclopcedia^ which unfortunately was cut short after the letter

G

in that

by the death of the author, is also invaluable as far as it goes, it gives in every case contemporary references relating to the

use of each word. dealing with the

The

late

Armourer

J.

B. Giraud published certain records

in various

French archaeological journals,

and M. Charles Buttin has placed all those interested in the subject under a deep obligation for his minute researches on the subject of the proving of armour.

Of

living English writers

only of myself, but also of

all

would express the indebtedness not

I

those

who

are true amateurs d'armes^

Baron de Cosson, who, with the late J. Burges, A.R.A., compiled the Catalogue of Helmets and Mail which is to this day the standard work

to

on the

subject.

Last of

all

I

would

offer

my

sincere thanks to

PREFACE

''i

Viscount Dillon, Curator of the Tower Armouries, not only for

his

minute researches printed in the Archceologia and Archceological yournal^ which have brought to light much valuable information respecting the Armourer and his Craft in English records, but also for

very-

great personal interest and assistance in the compilation of this work.

CHARLES FFOULKES S. John's College,

Oxford, 1912

CONTENTS PAGE

Preface

vii

.

.

.

.

.

,

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

i

Tools, Appliances, etc.

.

.

.

.

.

.

22

Iron and Steel

.

.

.

.

.

.

38

.

.

.

.

.

.

44

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

•

•

73

.

.

.

.

.

78

.

.

,

.

.

83

.

.

.

.

.

.

96

.

.

.

.

.

.

104

.

.

.

.

.

.

•

.

.

.

.

.

.

147

.

'

^53

.

The Armourer

.

The Craft

of the

The Proof

of

Armour

The Decoration

The Cleaning

Armourer

of

of

Armour

Armour

.

The Use

of Fabrics and Linen

The Use

of Leather

The Wearing

of

.

Armour

The Armourers' Company Lists of

.

London

of the City of

European Armourers

.

.

Short Biographies of Notable Armourers List of Armourers'

Marks

.

.

Polyglot Glossary of Words dealing with Armour and Weapons

62

.120 126

.

.131

APPENDICES A.

Extract from the Records of the Armourers' Company of London, 1322 (Lib. C, fol. 33)

B.

.

Regulations of the Heaumers' Company,

Book C.

.

F,

cxlii)

.

.

.

Treatise of Worship in Arms, by Johan Lib., Ashmole. 856, art. 22, fol. 376)

.

.

.

.

1347 (City of London Letter .

.

.

Hill, Armourer, .

.

E.

.

.

.

.

Extract from the Ordinances of the Armourers of Angers, (Ordonn. des Rois, Pyrenees, E, 302)

XX,

156. .

Rev. d'Aquitaine, XII, 26. .

xiii

.

.

171

1434 (Bod.

.

-173

D. Traite du Costume Militaire, 1446 (Du Costume Militaire des Fran9ais en 1446, Bib. Nat., Paris, 1997) .

169

etc.,

.

177

1448

Arch, des B. .

.

180

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

'^iv

PAGE F.

Expenses in the Royal Armouries, temp. App. XXVIII, f. 76)

Henry

.

.

VIII

.

(Brit.

Mus., Cotton.

.182

.

.

G. Petition of Armourers to Queen Elizabeth (Lansdowne MS. 63,

f.

5)

•

184

H. Undertaking of the Armourers' Company of London to supply Armour (Records of the Company, 161 8) I.

.

Armour

(State Papers

Dom.

Jac. I, cv)

Erection of Plating-mills at Erith

(State

.

in

the Case

.

Papers

Dom.

.186

.

.

Proclamation against the Use of Gold and Silver except OF

J.

.

.187

.

Jac.

clxxx)

I,

.

188

.

191

K. Regulations as to the Hall-mark of the Armourers' Company (Rymer,

XIX, 314) L.

.

,

.

Dom.

Petition of Armourers (State Papers

M. Extract from the Survey Harl.

Index

of the

Car.

.

.

.

I,

cclxxxix, 93)

Tower Armoury, 1660

.192

.

(Brit.

Mus.,

........ MS. 7457)

.

.

.

.

.

.

193

195

OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

LIST

.....

2.

Diagram showing the " glancing surface Diagram showing the position of the lance

3.

Pauldrons on the statue of Colleoni, Venice, and of a Missaglia

4.

The

5.

Horse-armour

6.

Harnischmeister Albrecht, from a painting in the Arsenal, Vienna

7.

Cuissard for the off hock of a horse.

1.

Vienna (Plate

8. 9.

10.

...... ..... ....... ...... ....... ....... ...... in jousting,

from Jrch,

Journ.,

LV,

suit in the

5

WafFensammlung, 6

II)

and unpractical

solleret, practical

Musee Porte de Hal, Brussels Arms of the Armourers' Gild, Florence. From the Church of Or San Michele S. George, by Hans Multscher, 1458. Augsburg Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, arming. Brit. Mus., Cott., Jul., E, IV,

6 8

9 10

.

M M

.

.

.

fol.

12 b

16.

The Westminster helm The Brocas helm The Fogge helm The Barendyne helm The Mail-maker, from Jost Amman's Stands und Handiverker, The Armourer, from the same source as the above

17.

Burring-machine or "jenny," from the picture by Breughel given on the frontispiece

18.

Method of making

19.

Representations of double and single mail, from the effigy of Robert de Mauley, formerly in York Minster, Archaologia, XXXI

20.

The

21.

Attachment of the camail, from the

22.

Attachment of the camail reconstructed

23.

Suggested arrangement of "banded" mail, from Arch. Journ., XXXVII, figure from Romance of Alexander, Paris, Bib. Nat., circ. 1 240, and the effigy at Newton Solney, Derbs.

24.

Foot-soldier wearing a jack, from the Chasse of S.

25.

Construction of jack, from Arci. Journ.,

26.

Brigandine in the WafFensammlung, Vienna, No. 130

27.

Detail from the picture of S. Victor and donor, by

11. 12. 1 3.

14. 15.

coif of mail,

unnamed

effigy

mail,

from

1

17

17 17

590

23

24 36

XXXVII

45

from the effigy of William, Earl of Pembroke, Temple Church, and an in Pershore Church, Worcs, after Fairholt effigy of Sir

...

R. Pembridge, Clehonger Church, Hereford .

.

Ursula, by

Memling, 1475-1485.

XXXVII

Ash Church, Kent,

29.

S.

30.

The

31.

Sections of brassards in the

32.

Locking gauntlet of Sir Henry Lee.

33.

Locking hooks, turning

34.

Bracket for jousting-sallad.

35.

Detail showing proof

George

at

der Goes, Glasgow

cent.

3,

49 50 51

54 55

and strap cover

mark on the

47

52

Armourers' Hall, London

4

46

51

Tower

Dresden, C,

46

46

51

Prague, 1375

pins,

Bruges

45

50

.... ...... .... XIV

Effigy in

Statue of

Van

15

17

....

i^rcA. /»«r«.,

28.

sliding rivet

cjrc.

4

55 57

.

breast of suit of Louis

XIV.

Paris,

Q, 125

69

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

'^vi

PAGE

Museum

36.

Proof marks on a brigandine plate

37.

Poleynes on the brass of Sir Robert de Bures, Acton, Suffolk, 1302

38.

Beinbergs on the statue of Guigliemo Berardi, Annunziata, Florence

39.

Brass of an

40.

Pourpointed cuisses, from the brass of Sir John de Argentine, Horseheath Church, Cambs,

41.

Padded horse-armour, from King Rene's Trakte

42.

Padded " harnische-kappe " and helm showing the attachment of the

in the

Darmstadt

.......

unknown knight

at

1

289,

in the Cloisters

Laughton, Lines, 1400

.

of the

Church of the

Morando, 1486-1522, No. 571.

UfEzi Gallery, Florence

45.

Detail of eyelet coats,

46.

Sallad with cover, from a XVI-cent. engraving

47.

Cuirass, from the sketch-book of Willars de Honecourt, XIII cent.

48.

Leather gauntlet,

49.

Brassard of leather and cord for the tourney, from King Rene's Trakte iTun Tournois

50.

Leather and steel hat of Bradshaw the regicide.

51.

Stripping the dead, from the

52.

Knight arming, from the Livre

53.

Brass of Sir John de Creke, 1325, Westley Waterless, Cambs.

.

.

and Musee Cluny, Paris

d'Artillerie .

.

.

des Nobles

96

..... ..... ...

Femmes, Bib. Nat., Paris,

.

XIV cent.

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Arming-points, from the portrait of a navigator.

55.

Attachment of brassard, from the

portrait of the

56.

Moton

MS. 4826

57.

Arming-points on the

58.

Sixteenth-century suit of plate with the several parts named in English, French, Italian, and Spanish

London

foot,

.

93 96

.

54.

attached by points.

91

.

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Bayeux Tapestry

Harl.

from

Due de

a picture of S.

.

.

Nevers.

.

.

Hampton Court

Demetrius by Ortolano.

.

Palace

.

.

.

.

.

.

59.

Attachment of jousting-helms to the cuirass

60.

Side view of the above

61.

62.

The armourer in the lists. Heralds' Coll., MS. M, Arms of the Armourers' Company of London

63.

Design on a gauntlet of the

6, fol.

56

.

.

161

1.

Windsor

Castle

made

for

.

Mark

65.

Detail of shield by Desiderius

66.

Capital formerly in the

67.

Design on the London, II, 5

68.

Design by Jacobe Topf for gauntlet and armet of Victoria and Albert Museum

69.

Design on the breast of

left

Colman

(Plate

XXIV)

.

.

.

.

Henry VIII's

.

.

.

Sir

Henry

Lee's suit

suit,

.

Sir

.

by Topf.

.

109

112

120 circ.

122

133 .

made by Conrad Seusenhofer.

.

109

.

135

.

Via degli Spadari, Milan, showing the mark of the Missaglia family

cuisse of

108 108

112

Real Armeria, Madrid

of Bernardino Cantoni on a brigandine, C, II.

105

106

no

.

Henry, Prince of Wales, by William Pickering,

64.

105

German

.

suit

97

99

National Gallery.

... ....... .... ....... .

89 89

.

.

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

cent.

83

89

cap, after Diirer

Sallad-cap, from a picture by Paolo

Musee

361

85

Helmet-cap, from a XVI-cent. engraving of Jacob Fugger cent.

1

cPun Tournois

44.

XVI-XVII

74 74 75

.

.

.

43.

XVII

71

.

.

Tower

138 of

.

141

Henry Lee, from the Armourer's Album. .

.

.

Armourers' Hall, London

.

146 146

LIST Venus

......

the Forge of Vulcan, by Jan Breughel and Hendrik van Balen, Museum, Berlin

at

Friedrich

Armour

I.

OF PLATES

" Stechzeug,"

for the

XV-XVI

1600.

circ.

Kaiser

Germanische Museum, Nuremberg

cent.

Frontispiece

FACING PACE

.

4

.

Armour of the fifteenth century exemplified by the effigy of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, S. Mary's Church, Warwick, cast by Bartholomew Lambspring and Will

II.

circ. 14541 from Blore's Monumental Remains. S. George, by Andrea Mantegna, Armour of Roberto di Sanseverino, by Antonio da 1431-1506, Accademia, Venice. Missaglia, circ. 1480 ; WafFensammlung, Vienna, No. 3

Austin,

...

.

A

III.

Contrast.

No, 41.

Armour of Count Sigismond of Tirol, 1427-1496 WafFensammlung, Vienna, Armour of Louis XIV, by Garbagnus, 1668 Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, 125

8

;

;

1

Armourers at work, Brit. Mus., Roy. MS. 16, G, v, fol. II. Wood-carving of Duke William of Aquitaine, XV cent., S. William's Church, Strasburg. Venus and Vulcan, XIII cent., Konigl. Bib., Berlin, Codex MS. Germ., fol. 282, p. 79

IV.

V.

Anvils in the British

Avignon

Armour of

VII.

Kurfiirst Moritz,

Italian

.

.

brassard (front and back), cuisse, 1470 suit shown on Plate VIII

(3, 4)

last three

... ... -32 ... Mme.

Bellon,

20

;

Tower Made by Conrad ;

of London. (1, 2) Seusenhofer, 15 14.

numbers form part of the

suit

shown

of London,

Made by one

.

Inside of

of the Missaglia family

Bevor for the

XII

28

36

.

(5) on Plate

II,

Museum, Athens.

.

.

24 28

.

Ethnological

.

Museum,

Konigl. Hist.

548.

1

Tower

lists.

.

Helmets of Henry VIII II, 29.

of

.

.

for fighting on foot in the

leg-armour of

X.

in the possession .

.

by Matthaus Frauenpreis,

.

Armour of Henry VIII

IX.

.

of Conrad Seusenhofer, from the fVeisz Ktinig, by Hans Burgmair, 1525

Dresden, G, 39 VIII.

(Burges Bequest) and

.

The Workshop

VI.

Museum

.

.16

.

.

latter; II, 5. .

.

;

The .

40

XV

XL

cent. ; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, 204, 205. BreastBrigandine (inside and outside), Right cuisse of suit for plate of a brigandine, 1470 ; Ethnological Museum, Athens. fighting on foot in the lists, early XVI cent. ; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, 178

44

...

48

.

" Engraved

XII.

Suit,"

Maximilian

to

Helmet of

XIV.

Armour of King

Henry VIII by the Emperor .

.

Tower

Henry Lee, by Jacobe Topf, 1530-1597.

XIII.

Sir

by Conrad Seusenhofer, presented Tower of London, II, 5

I, 1 5 14.

.

of London, IV, 29

.

-52

Pageant Sebastian of Portugal, by Anton PefFenhauser, 1525-1603. armour of Charles V, by Bartolomeo Campi, 1546. Real Armeria, Madrid, A, 290, 188

^6

Prado, Madrid

60

...

.

XV.

Alegoria del Tacto, by Jan Breughel,

XVI.

.

.

Back-plate of a sallad, XVI cent, ; Bayerischen National Museum, Munich. Morion, XVI-XVII cent. ; Stibbert brigandine, 1470 ; Ethnological Museum, Athens. Surcoat of the Black Prince ; Canterbury Cathedral . . Collection, Florence.

64

Cast of ivory chessman, XIV cent. The original of this was in the possession of the Rev. J. Ivory mirror-case showing squires arming Eagles in 1856, but has since disappeared. Carrand Collection, Museo Nationale, Florence their masters, XIV cent.

68

Venetian

.

XVII.

.

c

xvii

.

.

XVIU

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT rACIKG PAGE

XVIII.

of two unknown noblemen, by Moroni, 1510-1578, showing the arming. doublet and mail sleeves. National Gallery, London

72

lists, XVI cent. It formerly hung over the tomb of Raynes Church, Essex, and was sold as old iron to Baron de Cosson, from whom it passed to the collection of the Due de Dino, and from thence to the Metropolitan Museum, New York. Arming a knight for combat in the lists, from a MS. of the cent., in the possession of Lord Hastings .

7^

Armour of Henry, Prince of Wales, son of James I, by William Pickering, 1591-1630, Master of the Armourers' Company of London. Royal Armoury, Windsor Castle .

80

circ 1520; formerly in the Meyrick Collection; Wallace Collection, No. 380. Tonlet suit for fighting on foot in the lists, by Conrad Lochner, 1510-1567; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, 182. Armour of Ruprecht von der Pfalz, arc. 1515; WafFensammlung, Vienna, No. 198 ,

84

Portraits

XIX.

Helm

.

.

.

for fighting on foot in the

Sir Giles Capel, in

XV

XX. XXI.

.

Suit of "puffed and slashed" armour,

.

XXII.

.

.

.

.

Left and right hand gauntlets, probably by Jacobe Topf, 1530-1597; Tower, II, 24. (4) Left-hand gauntlet, XVI cent. ; Tower, III, 59. (6) Lefthand bridle gauntlet, XVI cent.; Tower, III, 95. (7) Left-hand gauntlet of Kurfiirst Christian II, by Heinrich Knopf, circ. 1590 ; Dresden, E, 7. (8) Left-hand gauntlet for

Gauntlets.

Tower,

XV

(1, 2)

(3) Bridle gauntlet of James I; cent.; Madrid, E, 87. (5) Locking gauntlet, II, 10.

XVI cent. ; Tower, III, 58. (9) Gorget of Kurfiirst Johann Georg II, showing the Garter badge and motto, by Jacob Joringk, 1669 ; Dresden, D, 29

fighting on foot at barriers,

XXIII.

Armour

for horse and

XXIV.

Pageant

shield,

XXV.

man, middle of

XV cent.

XXVI.

Drawing by Jacobe Topf, 1530-1597, No. 15 and Albert Museum, London

in the

.

Armour of Sir Christopher Hatton ; formerly Armoury, Windsor Castle .

in the

G,

i

Armour of

as Plate

Tower

18 in the

of London,

.

.

92

.

96

... ...

now

.

XXV,

.

Art Library, Victoria

.

.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

in the

Spitzer Collection,

.

Drawing by Jacobe Topf, from the same source John Smith, by Jacobe Topf.

Album .

XXVII.

Sir

d'Artillerie, Paris,

Real Armeria, Madrid, A, 241

by Desiderius Colman, 1554.

.

Musee

II,

12

in the

Album .

loo

Royal loo

.

.104

.

.

(1) Armet, middle of the XVI cent. ; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, H, 89. (2) Armet, engraved and gilt with heavy reinforcing plates on the left side, end of XVI cent. Paris, H, I08. (3) Helm from the tomb of Sir Richard Pembridge, Hereford Cathedral, circ. 1360. It was given by the Dean of Hereford to Sir Samuel Meyrick, and passed from him to Sir Noel Paton, and is now in the Museum at Edinburgh. (4) Parade casque, after Negroli, middle of XVI cent. ; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, H, 253. cent. ; Real Armeria, Madrid, D, 1 3 (5) Sailad, by one of the Negroli family, end of

XV

XXX,

88

104

108

Friedrich des Siegreichen, by Tomaso da Missaglia, circ. 1 450 ; WafFensammArmour, circ. 1460 ; Musee d'Artillerie, Paris, G, 5 lung, Vienna, No. 2. .

Armour of

.112

XXXI.

medal of Coloman Colman (Helmschmied), 1470-1532. Designs for saddle and visor, by Albert Diirer, 15 17, from the Albertina, Vienna

Portrait

.

.

.

steel

.116

ACKNOWLEDGMENT The

author desires to express his thanks for permission to reproduce

illustrations contained in this

work

to the following

Viscount Dillon, Curator of the

Laking, m.v.o,. King's Armourer Albert Calvert, London logical Institute

Musee

The

;

;

The

;

:

Tower Armouries

M.

Mr. Guy Mr.

;

Charles Buttin, Paris

The ArchaeoThe Curators of

Society of Antiquaries

Burlington Fine Arts Club

;

;

;

and of the Johanneum, Dresden Messrs. Mansell and Co., Hanfstaengl, Griggs and Co., London Sgi. Fratelli Herren Teufel, Munich Sig. Anderson, Rome Alinari, Florence (publishers of Boeheim's Moeser, Lowy, Vienna Waffensammlungen) Berlin (publishers of Boeheim's Meister der JVaffenschmiedkunst) Seeman, Leipzig (publishers of Christof Miiller, Nuremberg and Sen. Hauser and Menet, Madrid. Boeheim's Waffenkunde) the

d'Artillerie, Paris;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

WORKS OF REFERENCE Allgemeine Zeitung.

Various vols.

Doccumenti

Angellucci.

inediti.

Antiquarian Repertory. Archaeologia.

Various

vols.

Various vols.

Archseological Journal.

Archives Civiques de

Archives Camerales

Lille.

di

Torino.

Armourers' Company, London, Records

Beckman. Belleval,

History of Inventions.

Marquis

Boeheim.

Costume

de.

WaiFenkunde.

1

of.

846.

Militaire Fran9ais de

1890.

,,

Meister der WafFenschmiedekunst.

„

Articles in Jahrbuch des Kunsthist.

Boileau, Etienne.

Buttin. ,,

Sammlungen.

1892.

Zeit.

Notes sur I'Epreuve.

(Rev. Savoisienne, 1906,

Le Guet de Geneve.

19 lo.

Calendar of State Papers.

Carteggio ined.

Various

fasc. 4.)

entries.

artisti.

Cellini,

Benvenuto.

„

„

Arte Fabrile, Plon. Life ,Cust.

Chambres des Comptes,

Paris.

1883.

1910.

Various

Chronique de Bertrand du Guesclin. City of

897.

1

Edit. iSjy-

Livres des Metiers.

Augsburger Platner Allge.

BufF, A.

1445

entries,

1

765.

Edit. 1837.

London Letter Books.

Cosson, Baron de

:

Catalogue of Helmets and Mail.

,,

XXXVIL XLL

,,

XLVIII.

Arsenals and Armouries of Southern Germany.

Arch. Journ., ,,

„

Catalogue of the

Daniele, Pere Gabriel.

Demmin.

Due de

Gauntlets.

Dino's Collection.

Hist, de la Milice Frangais.

1

72 1.

Guide des Amateurs d'Armes. XX

>>

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

xxii Langey.

Discipline Militaire.

La Noue.

Discours Politiques

et Militaires, trans,

Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic,

Markham, G.

Record

Decades of Epistles of War.

by E. A.

1587.

Various

Office.

entries.

Souldiers' Accidence.

1662.

1643.

Memorials of the Verney Family.

Memoires de Meyrick.

Soc. Arch, de Touraine.

la

Antient Armour.

Montgomery. Morigia.

Milice Fran9ais.

Hist, dell' Antichita di Milano.

Oliver de

Marche.

la

Memoirs,

Ordonnances des Metiers de

1616

etc.

edit.

Paris.

Ordonnances des Rois. Patent Office, London, Records Pennant.

History of London.

Di un Armajuolo Bellunese.

Pelegrini.

Rene.

Revue

of.

Traicte d'un Tournoi.

Various

Savoisienne.

Rogers,

Rymer.

J.

Thorold.

Foedera.

Saxe, Marshal. Scott, Sir S.

vols.

History of Agriculture and Prices.

Various

Mem.

Saulx-Tavannes.

rel.

Reveries.

entries.

a I'hist. de France, Vol.

Edit. 1768.

Various

of Edward

Windsor Castle

Armeria Reale, Turin

Porte de Hal, Brussels British

L

Discourses.

1590.

articles,

Soc. of Ant.

Historische WafFenkunde.

Catalogues of ;

1593.

Historia Anglicana, Rolls Series.

Wardroom Accounts fiir

1866.

Edit. 1756.

Sussex Archseological Journal.

Zeitschrift

VIIL

Instructions and Orders Mihtarie.

Smith, Sir John.

Walsingham.

1866.

History of the British Army.

Speculum Regale.

Paris

Arch. Venez., X.

Museum

;

;

;

;

the

Various

articles.

Tower Wallace ;

;

Museum, Dresden

;

Historische

; Rotunda, Woolwich ; Musee d'Artillerie, WafFensammlung, Vienna ; Zeughaus, Berlin Ashmolean and Pitt-Rivers Museums, Oxford ;

Collection

Real Armeria, Madrid

etc. etc.

Articles in various Journals and Periodicals by Viscount Dillon, Baron de Cosson, Burgess, Waller, Meyrick, Hewitt, fFoulkes, Boeheim, Angellucci, Beaumont, Buttin, Yriarte, Giraud.

Various

Library

;

MSS. from

etc. etc.

the British

Museum

;

Bib.

Nat., Paris

;

Kbnigl. Bibliothek, Berlin

;

Way

Bodleian

&0

^ff l)it iStooDf

Eo0t tocw

tl)e

t^an no ioer toarr

ctaffte of

LvDGATE, The

Slrmorere0

hors, the shepe

y the gosse, line

127

THE ARMOURER AND

HIS

CRAFT

THE ARMOURER

THE

importance of the craft of the armourer in the Middle Ages can hardly be overestimated, for it is, to a large extent, to the excellence of defensive armour and weapons that we owe much of the development of art and craftsmanship all over Europe. The reason for this somewhat sweeping statement is to be found in the fact that up to the sixteenth century the individual and the personal factor were of supreme importance in war, and it was the individual whose needs the armourer studied. In the days when military organization was in its infancy, and the leader was endowed by his followers with almost supernatural qualities, the battle was often won by the prowess of the commander, or lost by his death or disablement. It would be tedious to quote more than a few instances of this importance of the individual in war, but the following are typical of the spirit which pervaded the medieval army. At the battle of Hastings, when William was supposed to have been killed he rallied his followers by lifting his helmet and riding through the host crying, "I am here and by God's grace I shall conquer!" The success of Joan of Arc need hardly be mentioned, as it is an obvious example of the change which could be effected in the spirit of an army by a popular leader. This importance of the individual was realized by the leaders themselves, and, as a safeguard, it was often the custom to dress one or more knights like the sovereign or commander At Bos worth field Richmond had more than to draw off the attack.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

2

one knight who personated him ; Shakespeare gives the number as five, for Richard says, "There be six Richmonds in the field ; five have I slain instead

When

of him."

be obvious that the craft of the man who protected him in battle was of the utmost importance to the State ; and when once this is admitted, we may fairly consider that, in an age of ceaseless wars and private raids, the importance of all the other applied arts which followed in the train of the importance of the leader

is

realized

it

a victorious leader depended to a very great extent

afforded It

him by

will

on the protection

his armourer.^

would be indeed superfluous

to dwell

upon the

artistic

influences

which may be traced directly to the military operations of the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, and at a later date the Northern tribes of Europe, for every writer on the subject bases his opinions upon this foundation. In more modern periods the conquest of Spain by the Moors introduced a type of design which has never been wholly eradicated from Spanish Art, and in our own country the Norman Conquest gave us a dignified strength of architecture which would never have been established as a national phase of art if the victory had been to Harold and the English. The improvements in the equipment and military organization of the foot- soldier in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries necessitated a more complete style of defensive armour for the mounted man, and the elaborate leg armour of plate may be directly traced to the improvement in the weapons of the former. As is the case at the present day in the navy, the race between weapon and defence was ceaseless, each improvement of the one being met by a corresponding improvement in the other, till the perfection of the firearm ruled any form of defence out of the competition. More peaceful influences were at work, however, due to the interchange of visits between European princes ; and German and Italian fashions of armour, as well as of the other applied arts, competed with each other all over Europe, though their adoption may generally be traced to a ruler of note like Maximilian or Charles V. So without undue exaggeration we may fairly claim for the craft of the armourer a foremost place as one of the chief influences in the ^

See Regulations of the " Heaumers," Appendix B,

p.

lyi.

THE ARMOURER modern

3

an important factor in the development of all the arts which follow in the train of conquest. There are certain essential rules which must be observed in the practice of every craft ; but in most cases only one or two are necessary for the production of good work, because of the limitations either of the craft or of the needs of those for whom it is practised. It would be out of place to go through the various applied arts and to consider the rules which guide them ; but, on examination of these rules as they apply to the craft of the armourer, it will be seen how each and all are essential for the production of satisfactory work. evolution of

The

art and, as such,

rules are these

:

1.

Suitability for purpose.

2.

Convenience in

3.

Recognition of material.

4.

Soundness of constructional methods.

5

Subservience of decoration to the preceding rules.

use.

may be advantageous to examine these rules one by one and see how they are observed to the full in the best specimens of armour and how their neglect produced inferior work. The object of defensive armour was I. Suitability for purpose. It

—

from attack of the most powerful weapon in use This was obtained not only by at the period when it was made. thickness of metal, but also by so fashioning the planes of the metal An early that they presented a " glancing surface " to the blow. to protect the wearer

of the needs of the wearer is to be found in the first additions of plate to the suit of mail which were made in The reason for this the leg armour of the thirteenth century (Fig. 38). was the increased efficacy of the weapons of the foot-soldier, who The use of mail was naturally attacked the legs of the mounted man. far from practical, except in the form of gussets or capes, which could

example of

this consideration

not be made so conveniently in plate. The mail armour of the thirteenth century was only a partial protection, for although it defended the wearer from arrows and from sword-cut or lance-thrust, it was but little protection against the bruise of the blow, even when, as was always

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT the case, a padded garment was

worn underneath.

Up

to the sixteenth

century the shield was used for this reason and provided a smooth movable surface which the knight could oppose to the weapon and thus present a glancing surface to the blow.

An

of armour of the fifteenth century will show how this glancing surface was studied in every part. The lames of the arm-pieces are overlapped downwards so that the blow might

examination of a

suit

and the elbow-cop presents a smooth rounded surface which The breastplate, which will direct the blow off the arm of the wearer. was at first simply smooth and rounded, became in the sixteenth century fluted ; and a practical experiment will show that when the thrust of a lance met one of these flutings it the favourite weapon at that time was directed to the strong ridge at neck or arm hole and thence off the body (Plate 30, 2). The upstanding neck-guards, wrongly called " passe-guards," were also intended to protect the weak part where helmet and gorget met. The fan-plate of the knee-piece protected the bend of the knee, especially when bent in riding, the normal position of the mounted man, and the sollerets were so fashioned that the foot was best protected when in the stirrup. The helm and helmet are especially good examples of the craft of the armourer in this respect. The early flat-topped helm of the thirteenth century was soon discarded because it was found that the slip off,

—

—

full

force of the

blow was

felt,

the case

when

downward

which was not the skull of

the head-piece was pointed or rounded (Fig. i). A

on the subject of Military Equipment in the fifteenth century (Appendix

^

Fig.

I.

The "glancing

treatise

surface."

^"

distinctly CUJoinS that the

on the helm should be filed flat Et les autres ont la teste du clou limee aflin que le rochet ny prengne." This is not often found in existing helms, but the fact that it is mentioned shows that the smooth surface of the helm was an important consideration. In rivets

:

ARMOUR FOR THE STECHZEUG X\

-

-X\l

CENT.

THE ARMOURER

^

helms made for jousting these considerations were minutely studied by the armourer, for the object of j ousters in the sixteenth century was simply to score points and not to injure each other. The occularium of the jousting-helm is narrow and is so placed that it is only of use when the wearer bends forward with his lance in rest. The lance was always pointed across the horse's neck and was directed to the left side of his opponent, therefore the left side of the helm is always smooth with no projection or opening (Fig. 2). These are found.

The

Fig.

2.

litHce i2_/t._haiidJ_U._

Tl\^J?^PJXd^2i^^jL/^°^i ib^JSi^tL

Position of lance in jousting {Arch. Journ., LV).

where there would be no Again, the skull and front chance of their catching the lance-point. plate of the helm are generally thicker than those at the back, where there is no chance of a blow being delivered.

in cases

where they occur, on the

right side,

—

Convenience in use. Besides protecting the fighting man the armourer had to remember that his patron had to ride, sometimes to 2.

walk, and always to use his arms with convenience, and at the same time had to be protected while so doing. At first the cuirass was made simply in two pieces, the back and the front fastened under the arms with In the middle of the fifteenth century each of these was made straps. in two or more pieces joined with a rivet, working loose in a slot cut in the uppermost of the plates, so that a certain amount of movement of the torse was possible. The pauldrons, which often appear unneces-

almost meeting in front and, as is the case in the statue of Colleoni in Venice, crossing at the back, are so made that they would protect the armpit when the arm was raised in striking a blow (Fig. 3). The upper part of the arm-piece or rerebrace is made of overlapping lames held together by sliding rivets, which allow a certain amount of sarily large,

play outwards and forwards, but the defence becomes rigid

if

the

arm

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT is

moved backwards,

blow

(see

page 52).

movement is not necessary in delivering a The arm and leg pieces are hinged with metal

for this

hinges on the outside of the limb and fastened with straps or hooks and

Fig. 3.

Back of Pauldrons of

A. B.

Staples

on the

inside.

this respect, for it first

object of the

useless.

is

Statue of Colleoni, Venice. Missaglia Suit, WafFensammlung, Vienna.

In most cases modern theatrical armour errs in obvious that if the straps were on the outside the

enemy would be

The vambrace

to cut

them and render the armour

or cannon and the lower portion of the rere-

brace are in single cylindrical plates, for here no

independently from the shoulder and generally formed with a collar which upper portion, so that the arm can moving the shoulder (see page 54). of the jamb are for the same reasons

Fig. 4.

(i)

(3)

elbow.

The

movement

is

possible

rerebrace, however,

is

turns in a groove bossed out in the

turn outwards or inwards without

The

and the front and back each made in one piece, joined to cuisse

The

practical soUeret at rest and (2) in action. Unpractical soUeret, late sixteenth century.

the knee-cop and solleret

by narrow lames working loose on

rivets.

cuisse only covers the top part of the thigh for convenience

back, and wherever a cuisse

is

The

on horse-

found that protects the back of the thigh

THE ARMOURER

^

we may be sure that the owner fought on foot (Plate leret is made so that the foot can move naturally in upper part

IX).

The

walking.

sol-

The

formed of small lames working on loose rivets and overlapping downwards towards a centre-plate which covers the tread of the foot J beyond this the toe-plates overlap upwards and thus perfect freedom of movement is obtained. The various forms of head-piece all more or less exemplify this need of convenience in use, for they protected the head and at the same time gave as much opportunity for seeing, hearing, and breathing as was compatible with their defensive qualities. The armet or close helmet is perhaps the most ingenious, with its single or double visor, which could be lifted up so as to leave the face completely exposed till the moment of attack, when it was closed and fastened with a locking hook (Plate XIII). Examples of the armourer adapting his work to the requirements of his patrons are to be found in the globose helm for fighting Here at barriers made by one of the Missaglia family (Tower, II, 29). the vision-slits were evidently found to be too large and too dangerous An inner plate was added with smaller holes through to the wearer. which no weapon used at barriers could penetrate (Plate X). A second example shown in Fig. 14 has a plate added at the lower edge to increase the height of the helm, which suggests that the last wearer had a longer neck than the original owner. This convenience in use is also to be noticed in the gauntlet, which, as the science of sword-play developed, was gradually discarded in favour of a defence formed of the In jousting-armour portes or rings on the sword-hilt (Plate XXII). there was only one position to be considered, namely, the position with hand on bridle and lance in rest. The armourer therefore strove to The arm protect his patron when he assumed that position alone. defences of jousting-armour with elbow-guard and poldermitton would be useless if the wearer had to raise his arm with a sword, but, when the lance was held in rest, the plates of the defences were so arranged that As the right hand was protected every blow slipped harmlessly off. is

with the large shield or vamplate fixed to the lance a gauntlet for this hand was frequently dispensed with, and, as the left hand was only

employed

to hold the reins, a semi-cylindrical plate protected the

instead of the articulated gauntlet in use

on the

field

of war (Plate

hand I).

8

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

Horse armour or " barding " was of necessity more cumbrous and but little was attempted beyond the covering of the vital parts of the body with plates or padded trappings (Fig. 5). Mail was used for the

Fig.

5.

Horse Armour, sixteenth century.

German

French

English

Italian

Spanish

chanfron

chanfrein

ross-stirn

testiera

testera

peytral

poitrail

brust panzer

pettiera

pechera

crinet

crini^re

collo

cuello

primo arcione '^

pomo

>

secondo arcione

zaguero

g''°PP2

grupera

f

schwanzriem panzer

guardacorda

guardamalso

flanken panzer

iiancali

flanqueras

mahnen panzer {

pommel

I

P

J

J

J

arcade de devant {troussequin I

cantel

>

.,

croupiere •^

flanchard

f

<

garde-queue

in I

whole " bard

,,

sattel-knopf '^

del arzon

riickenstiick

I

tail-guard

}

)

arcade de derriSre

crupper

kanze

>

pausch krup panzer ' i lenden panzer ,

nanchiere

" in the thirteenth century, as

we know from

the decora-

"Painted Chamber" at Westminster.^ It was still in use for the neck- defence or " crinet " in the middle of the fifteenth century. Examples of the latter are to be found in Paris (Plate XXIII) and in the tions in the

1

Vetusta

Monumenta, VI, and Armour and Weapons,

p.

88, C. fFoulkes.

p

o o

S,

u

'J.

.7

U C

a

2^5

THE ARMOURER

9

Wallace Collection, No. 620. Some attempt to make an articulated suit was evidently made ; for we have a portrait of Harnischmeister Albrecht

Fig. 6.

Harnischmeister Albrecht, 1480.

From a

painting' in the Arsenal, Vienna.

(1480) mounted on a horse whose legs are completely covered by articulated plates similar to those

on human armour

the leg-piece of this or of a similar suit

is

(Fig. 6).

in the

Musee

A

portion of Porte de Hal,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

10

Brussels (Fig. 7). Besides the obvious advantage of plate armour over mail for defensive purposes, it should be noted that in the former the

weight

is

body and limbs, while with the latter the whole equipment hangs from the shoulders, with possibly some support at the waist. Hence the movements of the mail-clad man were much hampered both by the weight of the fabric, and also by the fact that in bending the arm or leg the mail would crease in folds, and would thus both interfere with complete freedom and would probably produce a sore from chafing. It would 3. Recognition of material. seem at first sight superfluous to give examples of this when considering armour ;

distributed over the

—

Cuissard for the off hock 7. of a horse. Mus^e Porte de Hal, Brussels, IV, g.

Fig.

when the craftsmany suits made to

but in the sixteenth century,

man

show off his technical skill, we find imitate the puffed and slashed velvets and silks of civilian dress. A " notable example of this is to be found on the famous Engraved Suit made by Conrad Seusenhofer for Henry VIII in the Tower, in which the cloth " bases" or skirts of civilian dress are imitated in metal (Plates desired to

The human

form, head and torse, were also counterfeited in metal in the sixteenth century, with no great success fi-om the

XII, XXI).

technical point of view. 4.

Soundness of constructional methods.

—This

rule

is

really

contained in those that have preceded it, but some notice should be paid to the various methods of fastening different plates and portions of the suit together. There are many ingenious forms of turning hook and pin by which these plates can be joined or taken apart at will (page 55). The sliding rivet is one of the most important of these constructional details.

The lower end

burred over the back of the lower cut of less width than the rivet-head,

of the rivet

is

and the upper plate has a slot but sufficiently long to allow the plate to move backwards and forwards, generally from three-quarters to one inch (page 52). The 5. Subservience of decoration to the preceding rules. practically suits are undecorated, but at the same best time there are many plate,

—

THE ARMOURER

11

which are ornamented with incised or engraved Hnes and gilding which do not detract from the utiHty of the armour. This last rule is best understood by examples of the breach rather than the observance ; so we may take the rules in order and see how each was broken during

known as the Renaissance. The " glancing surface " was destroyed by

that period (i)

elaborate embossing,

generally of meaningless designs, in which the point or edge of a

weapon would (2)

catch.

The convenience was

also impaired

by the same methods,

for

the lames and different portions of the suit could not play easily one over the other if each had designs in high relief. Plates were set at unpractical angles, sometimes overlapping upwards, in which the weapon

would catch and would not glance off. We find that foot-armour was made in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the lames all overlapping upwards or downwards, and with no centre-plate for the tread. In the suit given to Henry, Prince of Wales, by the Prince de Joinville in 1608 (Tower, II, 17) the lames of the solleret all overlap downwards (see also Fig. 4). It will be obvious that with such a foot-covering it would be impossible to walk with ease.

The

observance of this rule may be taken as a matter of course and its neglect has been noticed above. (4). The careless arrangement of the foot-armour, as mentioned in (3)

No.

Another instance an example of the disregard of this rule. is the embossing the metal of various parts of the suit so as to simulate lames or separate plates. They do not ornament the suit and of course do not add to its convenience ; they merely create a false impression and save the craftsman some labour. The same may be said of the " clous perdus " or false rivets, which are found in late suits, doing no work in the construction of the suit, but giving an appearance of con2,

is

structional (5)

work which

One

is

lacking.

has only to keep the above rules in

mind and then

to

examine an embossed suit by Piccinino or Peffenhauser to see how this rule was broken to the detriment of the work as a good piece of craftsmanship, though perhaps the result may have increased the artistic reputation of the craftsman (Plate XIV). It should be noticed that the craftsman of the Renaissance, in spite

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

12

of his disregard of the craft rules, did not deteriorate as a worker

;

for

of the Negrolis or of the two above-mentioned armourers could hardly be equalled at the present day as specimens of metal-work. But his energies were directed into different channels and his reputation

some of the

suits

By the sixteenth century everything an honest craftsman suffered. concerned with the defensive qualities and the constructional details of armour had been discovered and carried to a high pitch of perfection. The craftsman therefore had to find some way of exhibiting his dexterity. Add to this the love of ostentation and display of his patron, one of the most noticeable traits of the so-called Renaissance, and we

as

find that by degrees the old craft-excellence

became neglected

in the

advertisement of the craftsman and the ostentation of his patron. In dealing with the first rule no mention was made of the defensive qualities of armour against firearms, and this fi"om the middle of the sixteenth century was an important detail in the craft of the armourer.

The

glancing surface was of some use ; but the armed man could not afford to take chances. So his equipment was made to resist a point-blank shot of pistol or arquebus. This will be noticed with details as to the proof of armour on page 65. It was the fact that armour was proof against firearms which led to its disuse, and not that it was of no avail against

them,

as

is

the generally accepted idea.

The armourer proved

his

work

by the most powerful weapons in use, and by so doing found that he had to increase the weight of metal till it became insupportable (see page 117). In the days when travelling was difficult and the difficulties of transportation great, both on account of the condition of the roads and also because of the insecurity of life and property, due to national and personal wars, it was but natural that each country and district should be in a large measure self-supporting, especially with respect to armour and weapons. At the same time, by degrees, some localities produced superior work, either because they possessed natural resources or because some master founded a school with superior methods to those of his Thus we find Milan famous for hauberks, Bordeaux^ for neighbours. swords, Colin cleeves (Cologne halberds), Toulouse swords, misericordes of Versy, chapeaux de Montauban (steel hats), Barcelona bucklers, 1

Haute Savoye, near Aix-les-Bains.

ARMOUR OF SIGISMOND OF

TIROL,

1427-913

ARMOUR OF

LOUIS XIV, BY GARBAGNAUS,

1(50«

THE ARMOURER arbalests

i3

of Catheloigne, and of course swords of Solingen, Toledo,

and Passau.

The

principal centres for the

Germany, and

it

is

making of armour were Italy and quite impossible to say which of the two was the

superior from the craftsman's point of view. If anything, perhaps the German school favoured a rather heavier type of equipment, due, no

doubt, to the natural characteristics of the race as compared with the Italian, and also, when the decadence of armour began, perhaps the German armourer of the Renaissance erred more in respect of useless and florid ornamentation than did his Italian rival. But even here the types are so similar that it is almost impossible to discriminate. France

produced no great armourers, at least we have no records of craftprinces such as the Colmans, the Seusenhofers, the Missaglias, or the Negrolis, and the same may be said of England. We have isolated examples here and there of English and French work, but we have no records of great schools in either country like those of Milan, Brescia,

Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Innsbruck. A few scattered entries from state or civic documents will be found under the various headings of this work and portions of regulations respecting the trade ; but of the lives of the craftsmen we know but little. At a time when personal was of the utmost importance,

can be easily understood that the patron would take no risks, but would employ for choice those craftsmen who held the highest repute for their work, just as till recently the prospective motorist or airman would not risk a home-made machine, but patronized French makers. It may seem strange that the local craftsmen did not attempt to improve their work when examples of foreign skill were imported in great quantities ; but against this we must set the fact that the detail of the first importance in the craft of the armourer was the tempering of the metal and this the craftsman We have various accounts of secret processes, kept a close secret. miraculous springs of water, poisoned ores, and such-like which were safety in the field

it

employed, fabulously no doubt, to attain fine temper for the metal, It may be that the metal itself was superior but no details are given. in some districts, as witness the Trial of Armour given on page 66. Seusenhofer when provided with inferior metal from the mines by Kugler suggested that it should be classed as "Milanese," a clear proof

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

14

German

craftsmen, at any rate, considered the ItaHan material to be inferior to their own. Little is known as to the production of the

that the

Mr. Staley in his Guilds of Florence has unfortunately found little of importance under this heading in the civic records of the city. The "Corazzi e spadai" of Florence will, however, be always known by their patron S. George, whose statue by Donatello stood outside the gild church of Or San Michele. At the base of the niche in which it stood are carved the arms given Florentine armourers.

in Fig. 8. Arms

Armourers were imported by sovereigns and Michele, Florence. princes to produce armour for their personal use and thus to avoid the difficulties of transit, but they seem to have kept their craft to themselves and to have founded no school. Henry VIII brought over the " Almain Armourers " to Greenwich at the beginning of his reign, but most of them went back in time to their own country, and few took out denization papers. In 1624 we find that only one of the descendants of these foreigners was left and he resolutely refused to teach any one the "mysterie of plating" (page A colony of armourers migrated from 188). Milan to Arbois towards the end of the fifteenth century, but no celebrated craftsmen seem to have joined them except the Merate brothers, who worked for Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy. It is difficult, in fact impossible, to say which country led in the beginnings of Fig. 8.

of the Ar-

mourers' Gild, from the church of Or San

We

have the suit of Fig. 9. S. George, by Hans Multscher, 1458, Augsburg. Roberto di Sanseverino (Vienna, Waffensammlung. No. 3) signed with the mark of Antonio Missaglia, circ. 1470, and we also have a statuette by Hans Multscher at Augsburg, circ. 1458, the armourer's

craft.

THE ARMOURER which represents design (Fig.

S.

George

in a suit of

15

armour of precisely the same

should be noted, however, that the treatment of this figure shows a strong Italian influence. In European history of the fifteenth century we have few records of German armourers being employed, during the first half, at any rate, by the rulers of other states. 9).

It

We know that

Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, travelled in Italy and wore armour of a distinctly Italian style, for it is depicted in the Beauchamp Pageants (Fig. 10) and is also shown on his magnificent monument in S. Mary's Church, Warwick. The likeness of the armour on this monument to that shown in the picture of S. George, by Mantegna, in the Accademia, Venice, is so striking that we are bound to admit that the two suits must have been produced by the same master, and on comparison with the suit in Vienna above alluded to, that master must have been one of the Missaglia family. in

The

Earl of

Warwick died

1439 and Mantegna was born about 143 1,

so that

it

chased a

is

suit

quite possible that the former pur-

of the very

latest fashion

when

in

and that the latter, realizing the beauty of work produced when he was but a boy, used a similar suit as a model for his picture (Plate II). As early as 1398 the Earl of Derby had armour brought over to England by Milanese armourers, and by the year 1427 Milan Fig. 10. Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warhad become such an important factory town that wick (Cot. Jul. E, IV, F, 12 b). it supplied in a few days armour for 4000 cavalry and 2000 infantry. The impetus given to the craft in Germany was due to the interest of the young Emperor Maximilian, who encouraged not only the armourer, but every other craftsman and artist in his dominions. In the Weisz Kunig we find him teaching the masters of all crafts how best to do their own work, though this is probably an exaggeration of Still we are forced to admit the sycophantic author and illustrator. Italy,

that the crafts in reign.

Germany

attained to a very high level during his

In the description of his

visit

to Conrad Seusenhofer, the armourer.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

16

recorded that the latter wished to employ certain devices of his own in the making of armour, to which the young Emperor replied, "Arm me according to my own wish, for it is I and not you who will From Germany came armour presented take part in the tournament." by the Emperor to Henry VIII, and it is clear that such a master as Seusenhofer, working so near the Italian frontier as Innsbruck, must have influenced the Milanese work, just as the Milanese in the first

it is

With the succession of Charles V to the thrones of Spain and Germany we find a new impetus In Spain there seems to have been a given to German armourers. instance influenced the

German

craftsmen.

strong feeling in favour of Milanese work, and the contest between the

two schools of craftsmen was bitter in the extreme. So personal did this feud become that we find Desiderius Colman in 1552 making a shield for Charles V on which the maker is represented as a bull charging a Roman soldier on whose shield is the word " Negrol," a reference to the rivalry between the Colmans and the Negrolis of Milan With the demand for decorated armour the rivalry (Plate XXIV). between the two centres of trade increased, and there is little to choose between the works of the German and Italian craftsmen, either in the riotous incoherence of design or in the extraordinary skill with which it was produced and finished. From entries in the State Papers preserved in the Record Ofiice, it would seem that Milanese armourers were employed by Henry VIII during the first years of his reign. By the year 1 5 1 5 the Almain or German armourers from Brussels had evidently taken their place, for they are entered as king's servants with liveries. Only one Milanese

name

found in the list of armourers, Baltesar BuUato, 1532, so that it is clear that Henry, owing, no doubt, to the influence of Maximilian, had definitely committed himself to German armour as opposed to Italian. England seems to have remained faithful to this German influence, but her rulers and nobles never indulged in the exaggerated and over-elaborate productions which held favour in Spain and Germany, is

which is noticeable even at the present day, when the so-called "Art Nouveau" disfigures many German and Italian cities but has never obtained a serious foothold in England. Simplicity and practicality were always the chief features in English armour. The few known a fact

ARMOURERS AT WORK. XV CENT. BRIT. MUS. ROV. MS. l6, U.

V,

FOL. II

VENUS AND VULCAN.

WOODCARVING OF DUKE WILLIAM OF AQUITAINE AND HIS ARMOURER. XV CENT.

XIII

CENT.

THE ARMOURER

The Westminster Helm, circ. 1500. Westminster Abbey. 17 lb. 12 oz.

Fig. II.

Fig. 13.

The Fogge Helm, Ashford, 241b.

Sussex.

Fig. 12.

17

The Brocas Helm, Rotunda, Woolwich. 22

Fig. 14.

lb.

80Z.

The Barendyne Helm, Great Haseley* Oxon.

13

lb.

8 oz.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

18

specimens of English work of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, the jousting-helms at Westminster, Woolwich, Ashford, Petworth, and the Wallace Collection, are examples of this, and the armour of later years has the same qualification (Figs. 11-14). Even the suits of Topf, who worked in England at the end of the sixteenth century and produced the magnificent work that is shown at the Tower, Windsor, and elsewhere, the designs for which are contained in an album

Art Library at South Kensington, are marked by a restraint which is not found in the works of Piccinino and Peffenhauser. The decoration never impairs the utility of the armour, and the designs are always those suitable for work in tempered steel, and are not in any

in the

way

suggestive of the goldsmith's

work of

his foreign contemporaries.

In the English national collections

we have

but

which

is

so

common

in Continental

little

museums;

eccentric armour,

all is

severe

and yet

graceful, practical even if decorated, a tribute to the characteristics of

the English race of fighting men.

The ornamentation

of armour with gilding had obtained such a firm hold that in the seventeenth century James II was obliged to make an exception in its favour in his proclamation against the use of ''gold and

an extract of which is given in Appendix I, page 187. In discussing the craft of the armourer it should be remembered that we can only base our conclusions on the scattered entries of payments,

silver foliate,"

and other documents in State or private collections, and by examination of suits which have been preserved in the armouries and collections of Europe and England. These suits represent but a very small percentage of the large stores of armour of all kinds which must have been in existence at the beginning of the seventeenth century, and it is only the fine and exceptional examples which have survived. The material was so costly in the making that it was made and remade over and over again ; which will account for the absence of complete suits of the fourteenth century and the scarcity of those of the fifteenth and

inventories,

sixteenth centuries

now in

existence.

Occasionally

we have local collec-

which give us a suggestion of what the standing armoury must have been, such as the armour stores at Gratz, Zurich, the collection of helmets and armour found in the castle of Chalcis,^ and village tions

1

Charles

ffbiilkes

"Italian

Armour

at Chalcis," Archaologia,

LXII,

THE ARMOURER

i^

armouries like that at Mendlesham, Suffolk. Two examples of the treatment of armour must sufEce. In the Inventory of the Tower, taken in 33 Hen. VI, 1455, ^^ ^^^ entry: "Item viij habergeons some of Meleyn and some of Westewale of the which v of Melyn were delyv'ed to the College of Eyton and iij broken to make slewys and voyders and ye's." Here clearly the hauberk is cut up and used to

make

sleeves

and

gussets,

which were more

useful

when

the complete

had come into fashion than the shirt of mail. This is also another example of the competition between Milan and Germany (Westphalia) in the matter of armour-making. As an example of the other reason for the absence of armour in national and private collections in any great quantities, we may cite Hearne's account of his visit to Ditchley, given in his Remains under the date 1 7 1 8. He says " In one of the outhouses I saw strange armour which belonged to the ancestors^ of the Earl of Litchfield, some of the armour very old." In the steward's accounts of but a few weeks later Viscount Dillon has discovered an entry, " received of Mr. Mott, the brazier for the old armour wayed i4cwt. i qr. 21 lb. at los. the cwt. ^7. 4. 6." The saddles had been previously cut up to nail up the fruit trees.^ From the weight of armour sold there were probably about twenty suits, some of which must certainly have been of value, possibly one or more of the missing suits designed by Topf for Sir Henry Lee and illustrated in the Almain Armourer s Album now in the South Kensington Art plate body-defences

:

can be readily understood that when the historic or artistic value of armour was not appreciated it was a cumbrous and useless possession, which soon deteriorated if not kept clean and bright, and therefore it was melted down just as are the broken stoves and domestic ironmongery which litter the rubbish-heaps to-day. We find interesting examples of the application of munitions of war to peaceful purposes in the use of sword-pommels as weights for steelyards, helmets for buckets and scale-bowls, and portions of body armour cut up and fashioned into lock-covers in the Stibbert Museum, Florence, in the collection of the Library.

It

Marchese Peruzzi, and elsewhere.^ Even as late as the year 1887 the value of armour was not realized, for in that year two half-suits, stamped 1

Sir

Henry Lee.

^

Sir

Thomas Gresham's

^

Arch. Journ., June, 1895.

steelyard in the

London Museum

is

decorated with portions of sword

hills.

20

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

with the college mark, were sold from New College, Oxford, as old iron {ylrms and Armour in Oxford^ C. ffoulkes). State and civic records have frequent entries of regulations and disputes connected with the various craft-gilds, and the armourers right of search was a privilege jealously guarded, for it prevented the competition of those outside the gild and was also a check against foreign competition, which was always a thorn

The

were no exception.

in the side of the armourer.

portation of arms, and yet for

was probably the case only among the elaborate workmanship on the armour which

look to Italy or Germany. the richest, and

it

is

Every country enacted laws against imreally fine work every country had to

But

this

many suits was made quite as

has ensured the survival of

hosting or war-harness just as the

of this type.

The

ordinary

well in England as elsewhere

Englishwoman of to-day can be dressed

as well in

London

pay large sums for the cachet of the Parisian name. With regard to the documents bearing on the life of individual armourers, we have such records as wills, registers of baptisms and marriages, and also trade accounts and bills. In the latter the armourer seems to have been no better off than the painter or He was always in sculptor of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. financial difficulties and was ceaselessly pressing his patron for payment. An example of this is given on page 59, where we find that W. Pickering was paid ^^200 in 16 14, the balance of his bill for ^340, for a suit made for Henry, Prince of Wales, who died in 1 6 1 2 ; so that he had to wait at least two years before he received the whole amount. Conrad Seusenhofer suffered in the same way and his life was one long struggle with Maximilian and the Diet for payments for his work. The armourer, however, had the advantage over his fellow-craftsmen; for when a war or a tournament was imminent he made his own terms and refused delivery till he had received payment. The craft of the armourer merits far more study than has hitherto been bestowed upon it, for in its finest examples it fulfils all the essential laws of good craftsmanship to the uttermost. Added to this the works of the armourer have what may be called a double personal interest. In the first place, they are the actual wearing apparel of kings, princes, and other persons of note, made to their measure and often exhibition as in Paris

;

but, if she can afford

it,

elects to

ARMOURER'S ANVIL AND PINCERS.

XVI CENT.

BRITISH MUSEUM, BURGES BEQUEST

ANVIL. IN

XIV CENT.

THE POSSESSION OF MME. BELLON, AVIGNON

THE ARMOURER

21

some

peculiarity of their owner. Owing to the perishable nature of fabrics but little of wearing apparel has survived to us of the periods anterior to the seventeenth century, and therefore the suit of armour is

most valuable

as an historical record, especially when taken in conjunction with portraits, historical paintings, and sculpture. In addition to this we have the personality of the maker. The boldly grooved breast-

plate, the pauldrons,

and the wide elbow-cops of the Missaglia, the for the armet which appears only on Topf suits can be recognized at once, and besides this we have the poinqon or signature of the craftsman, which it is almost impossible to imitate, and which at once proclaims the authorship of the armour. The whole subject of the armourer and his craft, his limitations, his success at his best period, and his decadence in later years can be best summed up in the illustration given on Plate III. Here we have the graceful and light yet serviceable suit of Sigismond of Tirol, made by an unknown armourer about the year 1470, placed side by side with the cumbrous defence made for Louis XIV by Garbagnus of Brescia in 1668. Though this craftsman must have had fine work by his forefathers at hand to study, and though the other arts and crafts were tending towards a light and flowing, if meaningless, style of design, the craft of the armourer had by this time reached a depth of sheer utilitarian ugliness which was never equalled even in the most primitive years of its distinctive

history.

hook

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

THE

but little will be seen in considering the various inventories that survive, these have scarcely varied in form during the centuries. When once invented the hammer, the anvil, the vice, the chisel, and the pincers are open to but

by the armourers of all nations from the implements of the blacksmith and, as tools used

differ

few improvements, and even with the advent of steam and mechanical power, the functions of the tool remain and are simply guided by a machine instead of by the hand. The chief work of the armourer was the beating out of plates from the solid ingot of metal and therefore we find that all illustrations dealing with this craft show the workmen engaged in this operation. When once the rough shape of the piece was obtained a great deal of the work was done when the metal was cold, as will be seen from examination of the illustrations.

When

became important and when a large trade was done in these munitions of war, it was found more convenient to have the plates beaten out in special mills before they were handed These battering-mills over to the armourer to make up into armour. are noticed on pages 35, 188. In many instances they were probably owned by the armourers and were often under the same roof; but the fact that we find hammermen, millmen, platers, and armourers mentioned together in records and bills of payment to armouries seems to suggest that they had different duties the craft of the armourer

assigned to them.

That the work of the

plater

was quite

distinct firom that of the

armourer in the sixteenth century we gather from entries in the State Papers Domestic, and in the reign of James I, which will be discussed

on in this chapter. The earliest European illustration of an armourer at work at present known is to be found in the thirteenth-century Aeneid of Heinrich von Waldec (codex MS. Germ. fol. 282, p. 79) in the Konigl. Bib. Berlin

more

fully farther

22

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

23

From the fact that the armourer (Vulcan) is holding the helm with pincers we may infer that he is working it hot. The anvil as (Plate IV).

shown in this miniature would seem to be quite

square and of primitive form and useless for the work, but this may be due to the (Plate IV)

is

drawn and is evidently from some real example in which the face is rounded in a slightly convex form and the toe ends in a small blunted point which may be for riveting small objects or for making small bosses. In the fifteenth century we find more care as to details and more operations shown in the illustration on the same plate, taken from a miniature by Boccace in Les Clercs et Nobles Femmes (Bib. Reg. i6, G, Here we have several men at work V. fol. 1 1) in the British Museum.

inexperience of the

artist.

The hammer, however,

is

carefully

under the superintendence of a lady who is generally supposed to be the Countess Matilda, while their labours are enlivened by a flute-player. The man at the bench appears to be putting together a defence composed of circular plates laced to a leather or linen foundation which strongly resembles the culet of so-called

" penny plate " armour in the Tower (III, 358). The helm- smith is working on a bascinet which he holds with pincers, but he is using the toe of the hammer and not the face, which hardly seems a likely operation. He holds the helmet on a helmet-stake which probably has a rounded surface for finishing off the curves.

The

seated

man

is

perhaps the most interesting figure, for he is a rare example of a mail-maker at work, closing up the rings with a pair of pincers.

Up

to the present

as to

we have no

definite idea

how

making

the intricate operation of mailwas accomplished so as to turn out

The Mail-maker (from Jost Amman's Stande und Handwerker),

Fig. 15. circ.

1590. probable that some form of pincer was used which pierced the flattened ends of the ring and closed up the rivet when inserted. Possibly investigations in the East, where mail is still made, may throw some light upon the subject.^

rapidly coats of mail.

1

The

present writer

is

It is

commissioning research to

this

end

in Syria,

where the

craft still survives.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

24

by Jost Amman (Fig. 1 5) certainly shows the craftsman using a punch and hammer for his work and the only other tool shown Mail was in use up to the first years of the sevenis a pair of shears.

The

illustration

teenth century, so

drew

we may be

from

his figure

sure the artist

life.

of the actual tools of the armourer In the survive to us at the present day. Burges Bequest in the British Museum is a fine anvil decorated with figures of saints in relief of the sixteenth century, which appears to have been used by a craftsman dealing with metal in plates or sheets, for the face of

Few

burred over in a manner that would not be the case if the smith had worked with bars or rods, the usual mateIn the same case rials of the blacksmith. is a pair of armourer's pincers which reThe Armourer (from the same Fig. 16. source as Fig. 15). semble the multum in par"vo tools of today, for they include hammer, wire-cutter, nail-drawer, and turnscrew the anvil

(Plate V).

A

is

similar pair of pincers exists in the

Rotunda Museum,

Woolwich (XVI, 200). In the Wallace Collection (No. 88) is an armourer's hammer of the sixteenth century with a faceted copper head, the reason for which was probably the need for avoiding scratching the surface

when

decorated

finishing a piece.

In the same collection

is

a finely

hammer (1002), which also includes a nail-drawer The handle is inlaid with brass and mother-of-pearl and

farrier's

and turn-nut.

decorated with engravings of S. George and a musketeer of about A decorated anvil and vice which were catalogued as those of 1640. an armourer, the property of Mr. Ambrose Morell, were exhibited in the is

Metropolitan Museum, New York, in 1 9 1 1 but from the form and size of the tools they would appear to have been rather those of the silversmith than of the armourer. Jost Amman's "Armourer" (Fig. 16) calls ,

for

no

special notice, as

no

tools are

shown in the workshop, and

is

merely

of interest as being included in this Book of Trades^ published in 1590. The earliest inventory containing armourers' tools is found in the It is dated 1302 and refers to the effects archives of the city of Lille.

MAXIMILIAN AND HIS ARMOURER, CONRAD SEUSENHOFER FROM THE WEISZ

KUN'IG

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

25

of the Constable de Nesle in the Hotel de Soissons, Paris. The inventory is a long one and includes many interesting details of furniture, fabrics, and armour. That portion relating to the tools runs as follows :

Arch. Dept. du Nord.

Une englume

Fonds de la Chambre des Comptes de

et fos a souffler

Ix

Unes tenailes bicournes, i martel Item unes venterieres v s. xxxviii fers faites

,,

xii

s.

Lille,

No. 440 1

s.

et

menus instruments de forge

xiii

s.

vi d.

viii d.

tenons environs v sommes xxi 1. v s, douzaines de fer de Bourgoyne xxii s. vi d.

sas a cleus,

„ „

xiii

Another early inventory of the year 1308

is

that of

Framlingham

Castle, Norfolk,

:

ix capellae ferratae

vices ad

iii

The

may be

s.

eandem tendentes

at

ii s.

complete English inventory of tools connected with of the armourer occurs in the Accounts of the Constable of

earliest

the craft

Dover

at iv

Two

Castle.

studied with

Dec. 20.

separate

lists

more convenience

17 Fdw. Ill, 1344.

Item

in

if

placed side by side 35 Edw. Ill,

Jan. 26.

En

Fabrica.

maides*

la

andefeltes de fer^

ij

j

andefelte debruse

iij

j

bikore*

bicorn' martellos magnos iij martellos parvos ij tenaces magnas^ V tenaces parvas* iiij

paria flaborum*

j

folour de ferro'

j

mola de petra

ij

j

paires tanges dount

vj

iij

j ij

versatilis

pro ferreo

j

acuendo^" ligamina de ferreo pro buketto^^

deux grosses

pensons febles^ nailetoules per clause en icels fair* paire bulghes dount une nouvelP peer moler'" fusels de feer aicele" paire de wynches" as meme la peer trow de peer pur ewe" hurthestaf de feer"

iiij

iij

ij

36 1.

hammcres

iiij

ficiendos'^

1

slegges*

iij

instrumenta ad ferram cinendum" instrumenta ferrea ad claves in-

:

Forge,

ij

ij

—which

are given at different dates,

j j

j

cottyngyre'*

j

markingyre" une cable vels etpourz

Arch. Journ.^Xl, 380. Tools for closing rivets. ^* Grindstone. 1

2

Anvils.

®

*

Bickiron.

^

Shears.

*

Sledge-hammer. Pincers and tongs.

®

Bellows.

9

Rammer

*

4

(bellows

?),

"

"

Spindles

^*

Bucket-hoops.

^^

^^

Winches.

*''

(?).

^^

Stone water-trough. Hearth-stick, poker. Cutting-iron, shears or cold-chisel.

Marking-iron,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

26

All the above tools are in use at the present day, except perhaps the "nailetoules" for closing the rivets, and, as has been stated above, if

discover v^hat this implement

we could but

it is

also used at the present

we might find that purpose. The nearest

v^^as

day for some other

approach to such a tool is the eyelet-hole maker and riveter used by The " bicornes " are still known to-day as bickirons. bootmakers. They are small anvils with long horns which are used when riveting It is a little uncertain as tubes or turning over long pieces of metal. " " derives its name from the same root as the folour to whether the modern French " fouloir," a " rammer," or from the Latin " follis," " bellows." The former would seem more probable, as it was made of iron. The " fusels de feer aicele " present some difficulty, but they may be taken to be spindles of some kind, possibly for the grindstones. The " wynches " explain themselves, but the addition of " as meme la peer " is not so clear, for from the next item " peer " evidently means " stone," for it is a trough of stone for water ; at the same time the word " pair " is often written " peer " at this period, so it may refer

The

bellows, shears, and grindstone call for no " special comment, but the hurthestaff" presents some difficulty. It " " would seem to be derived from the word hearth " or berth," in which case it would probably be a long iron rod, rake, or poker, used for tending the forge-fire. This seems to be borne out in the inventory of 1 5 14, where it is spelt " harth stake." The " cottyngyr " and. to a pair of winches.

"markingyre " may be found chisels and marking-iron.

in every blacksmith's

shop to-day

as cold-

The

next entry bearing upon the subject of tools and workshop requirements is found in an Inventory under Prfpy Seal of Henry VI^ dated 1485, at which time John Stanley, of Wyrall, Cheshire, was Sergeant of the Armoury of the Tower.^ Here we find the following items recorded

;

ij yerds iij q'ters of corse rede sylke All splendid and moch It'm d'yerds d'q'reters of rede vele wet more to coom of the It'm iiij grosses of poyntes^ king's barneys It'm vj armyng nales' It'm hamer, j bequerne, j payr of pynsonys, iij pounde of wyre which was sold by Mastr. Wylliam Fox armerer

it'm

1

Archaologia,

XIV, 123

;

also

Meyrick, Antient Armour,

11,

II9.

2

gee page I09.

*

Rivets.

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC. The " bequerne

"

is

27

the same as the " bicorn " mentioned in the

Dover Castle inventory. In the earUer periods we have no records as to the material used or the quantities required. It is only when we come to the sixteenth century that we find detailed accounts kept to assist our investigations respecting the

making of armour.

The

next inventory worthy of note contains a list of payments made to John Blewbery, who was in charge of the workshops in 3 Henry VIII, 1 5 14. 'Public

xviii

September

Also payde by for

the

new

Armarers of

Record

Office.

Owre Commandement fforge

at

to

John Blewbery

Greenwiche made

Brussells these peces ensuynge.

for

the

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

28

d.

s.

a payre of pynsors

xviii

xvi

payre of tongs a harth stake^

ii

ii

a

chesels

&

vi

vi

ponchons

ii

watr. trowgh

xviii

temperinge barrelle one Andevyle vi stokks to set the Tolys xvi dobles at xvi d every doble xviii quarters of Colys

xii

a

xiii

in alle

Here we Dover.

The

xx x

find the outfit

more

xxi

iv

vi

ix

Ii.

xvi

s.

xi d.

elaborate than that scheduled at

various " stakes " in use

show

that there

were

special

making every part of the armour, both as regards the The " halve " with the two chisels is, of anvils and the hammers. course, the haft or handle, which could be fitted to either. The " vi stokks to set the Tolys " are presumably handles in which the tools were The "ponchons " are punches used in the repousse work. The fixed. " xvi dobles " were probably heavy iron models on which the various appliances for

Two specimens in the Tower

morion, IV, 227, and a breastplate. III, 209), are considered by the present Curator to be dobles, for they are cast and not wrought, are far too heavy for actual use, and have no holes for rivets or for attaching the lining. In the illustration given on Plate VI, taken fi-om Hans Burgmair's The engraving Weisz Kunig^ many of these tools are shown in use. was produced by an artist who was also a designer of armour, so they would certainly be correctly drawn. The various small stakes are all in use and all the work is being done with the metal cold, for the men are holding it with their hands. This working of the cold metal tends to compress the crystals and to make the metal hard, and is more than once alluded to in works upon armour. Gaya, in his Traiti des armes^ mentions this detail, and again Jean de Saulx-Tavannes^ mentions " cuirasses battues k froid" when speaking of armour of" proof," which is also noticed in the present work under that heading. pieces were shaped.

(a

1

Poker.

''

Reprint (Clar. Press, Oxon, 191 1), edited by Charles fFoulkes. Mem. rel. a Phist. de France (Paris, 1866), p. 191, col. I.

'

ARMOUR OF KURFURST

MORITZ.

BY MATTHAUS FRAUENPREIS, VAS

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

29

The

following extracts from various books and documents relate to the tools and appliances of the armourer :

1278. Roll of Expenses for a 'Tournament qualibet cresta

It

Windsor Park.

in

per chaston

j

These chastones or clavones were rivets for fastening the crests of the knights and also of the horses. Most of the items in this roll were supplied by curriers or tailors, for the weapons and armour were of wood or leather, and metal does not seem to have been used. 1300. Wardrobe Expenses of Edward 1}

Una 1

301.

An

cum

Cresta

clavis argenti pro

eodem

indenture on the delivery of the Castle of ^ to Hugo de Knoville.

capello.

Montgomery by William de

Leyburn

Unum incudem

et

i

martellum

et

ii

suffletis

ovi valoris.

These are evidently the contents of the castle armourer's workshop an anvil, a hammer, and a small pair of bellows of no value. Perhaps such items are hardly worth chronicling, but in a work of this nature it seems to be advisable to collect every entry bearing upon the subject, so :

as to

make

cally

and

it

a complete study of the craft of the armourer both techni-

historically, as far as

is

possible with the very limited material

obtainable. 1369.

Dethe Blaunche,

I.

9964.

Chaucer.

As hys brothres hamers ronge upon hys anuelet up and doon. 1386.

Knight's Tale,

I.

1649.

Chaucer.

Paste the armurers also

with

fyle

and hamer prikynge to and

This refers to the travelling armourer the tournament or to war.

fro.

who accompanied

his lord to

1465. Acts, of Sir John Howard.

20,000 Bregander nayle

iis. 8d.

These are the small rivets used in making the brigandine. A brigandine with sleeves at Madrid (c. 11) is composed of 3827 separate plates and over 7000 rivets were used in putting it together. 1

Jrchaologia,

XVIII, 305.

^

Cott.

MS., Vit.

c.

lo, fol. 154.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

30

1460

(?).

Ordinances of Chivalry, fol. 123^.*

Also a dosen tresses of armynge poyntis. Also a hamyr and pynsones and a bicorne. Also smale nayles a dosen.

The

"tresses" were plaited laces for fastening the various portions

of armour to the wearer. These may be seen in the portrait of the Due de Nevers(?) at Hampton Court, the picture of S. Demetrius by L'Ortolano in the National Gallery, and more clearly in the portrait of an unknown navigator in the Fortnum Room of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. The arming-points will be found described and illustrated on

page 109. 1

5

1

3

.

Equipage of Henry, Earl of Northumberland.^

Emmery &

oile for dressing my Lord's harnes. Leather, bokills naylles for mendyng my Lords harnes. Towles conserning the mending of my Lord's harnes. Item a payre of nyppers, a payre of pynsores, a pomyshe/ ij fylles. Item a small sti'the, a hammer, and all ouy'^ stuffe and tooles belonginge an armorer. Item viij yards of white blaunkett for trussing of my Lord's harnes in.

&

&

The emery and

were used in cleaning the armour and will be noticed in due course on page 78. The nippers, pincers, etc., have been alluded to before. The "sti'the" is an anvil, a term used up to Shakespeare's time, as may be found in Hamlet., iii. 2, 89. All these "Towles" or tools would be part of the travelling equipment of the armourer who accompanied his lord on active service. 1

5 1 4.

Record

Office,

oil

9 fuly,

to

John Blewbery.

For a millwheel with stondard, 2 beams & brasys [braces] belonging thereto and two small wheels to drive the glasys

40s.

For two elm planks 13

lbs.

28

lbs.

for lanterns for the

same mill

of tin at 5d. a lb. of white soap for tempering the said mill at 2d.

500 gauntlet nailes 100 & a half of iron

4/8, 3 rivetting hamers 2/a payre of pynsers 2/8, 4 crest fylys 4/-

2 greate fylys

100

&

a half of Steele for

LVII,

vambraces

also Arch. Journ.,

1

Archaologia,

2

Antiquarian Repertory, IV, 367.

&

gaunteletes

IV, 226. ^

Pumice-stone.

lb.

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

^i

The

mill-wheel was for the water-power used for turning the grindstones and other appliances which will be noticed later on in this chapter. The " glasys " are probably the glazing- wheels for putting the final

upon the

The

white soap was for lubricating the axle of the mill-wheel or for the final polish of the metal on the wheel or buff. The "gauntlet nailes" are small rivets for gauntlets which, being of thinner metal, would require a smaller-sized rivet than the rest of the body armour. The steel for vambraces and gauntlets was probably thinner than that used for other portions of the suit. polish

finished armour.

1514. Record

Office,

22 July,

to

John Blewbery.

for the glasyers of the said mill

and one spindle to

the same glasyers for a grind stone

&

i

o o

o o

15

o

o

^^8

6

8

£/[.

the

beam

for the

same mill

King^s Book of Payments, Record Office.

15 16. Feb.,

Edith,

to

widow of Fountain, millman.

for milling Gf carriage of harness 1

5 16.

May, John Hardy, fishmonger. 4 bundles of Isebrooke stuff for making parts of

Record

Office, loc. cit..

harness

why

payment should have been made unless the fishmonger had imported the Innsbruck metal in one of his boats. The term " Isebroke" will be found mentioned under the chapter dealing with the Proving of Armour. It is difficult to see

1517. Record

2541

Office, loc. cit.,

lbs.

this

April,

to

John

de Mery.

of steel plates of Isebroke and Lymbrickes

jC26 12

stuff

The "Lymbricke" 1

5 17.

Record

metal came from Limburg, in North Brabant.

Office, loc. cit..

making two forges South wark 1

o

Edw. GuyIford. the repairs in the Armory

May,

&

to

Sir

at f^\<^

2

o

520. Record Office^ April, Richd. Pellande, Raufie Brand, Richd. Cutler, and Hans,four of the King's armourers, brought to the Field of the Cloth of Gold all sorts of necessaries for armour, such as buckles, files, chisels,

The

punches, hinges, hides, and rivets. glazing-mill was taken down at Greenwich and was set up at

Guisnes with four forges. 1

Expenses of Sir Edw. Guilford, Master of the Armoury.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

32

XXVniJ.

Mus. Working in the privy Armoury upon thefiling of the king'sMajestie's harnes & other necessaries from May i i-July 16. (This is part of App.

Cott.

1544.

69, Brit.

the account of Erasmus, the King's armourer, where.)

who

Charges of the Kings Armoury. Item 8 bundles of steel to the said Armoury for the whole year 38/- the bundle

1544. Loc.

cit., /i

^8

page

3

it

was noted that

1517 2541

6s. 8d., in

From

1

cost

lb.

in

1544.

xv

iiii

in this entry.)

6 four bundles of steel cost 12s., that is about 2^d. per lb.

^26

we

gather that the "bundle"

lb.

Cott.

App} XXVIII,

f.

76.

Item for 1 6 bundles of steel to serve both shops a whole year at 38/- per bundle Item i hide of bufF leather every month for both shops at 10/- the hide Item to every of the said shops 4 loads of charcoal a month 9/- the load Item for both shops i cowhide every month at 6/8 the hide Item 100 of iron every month for both shops at 6/8 the 100 Item in wispe steel for both shops every month 1

li.

1 5 1

these three entries taken together

was about 20

noticed else-

76.

(Lockers and Millmen are mentioned

On

is

li.

xxx

viii

vi

x

xl

xix

iv

vi

viii

iv

vi

viii

Ixv

5 lbs. at 4d. lb.

Item in wire monthly to both shops 12 monthly at 4d. the lb. Item in nayles & buckles forboth shops monthly lb.

lii

Ixv

This record contains other details in connection with the two workshops of Greenwich and Westminster, in which 1 2 armourers, 2 locksmiths, and 2 millmen and 2 prentices are employed who " will make yearly, with the said 1 6 bundles of steel and the other stuff aforesaid, 3 2 harnesses complete, every harness to be rated to the king's Highness at ^12, which amounteth in the year towards his Grace's charge iii" iiii"

iiii""

From

(^3 84).

these details

we can

find approximately that the 32 suits re-

quired 13 hundred of iron and 195 lb. of whisp steel. Therefore each suit took 40 1 lb. of iron and about 6 lb. of whisp steel. *

See also Appendix F.

ARMOUR OF HENRY

VIII

FOR FIGHTING ON FOOT IN THE LISTS

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC. The

leather

was either

for straps

and

83

linings for the armour, or

have been used for facing the polishing- wheels or " buffs." was divided into thirteen lunar months. 1559.

Henry V,

The

may year

Shakespeare.

iv, chorus.

The Armourers accomplishing the knights With busy hamers closing riuets up. This is more or less a poetic licence, for the riveting was only done on each separate piece, and these were joined on the wearer with straps, arming-points, or turning-pins. Of course this entry should be taken as made at the year when Shakespeare wrote, and not as representing an actual occurrence at Agincourt.

XXI, 14. armorers of the Tower for their wages

1562. State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth, Vol.

Due

also to the

& for leather, buckels,nailes & other paiments in indent to the said

armory

at

the feast of Christmas

last past

yj"

xv°

In this entry are mentioned arming nails, butret nails, hammers, punshions, sheres, fyles, sand for scouring, cords, points, oyletholes, tow and butten nails. 1

574. State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth, Vol.

The monthly charge 1593. Auditor

s

50.

ordinary, vez coles, stele

&

Iron nayles, buckills

XCIX,

lether &c.

vij"

Privy Seal Book, 353.

Elizabeth to the Treasurer

Whereas we

.

.

&

Chamberlain of the Exchequer.

are informed that the mills serving for our

.

Armoury

at Greenwich are decayed, you are to pay to Sir H. Lee such sums as are necessary for the repairs ... for the mills not to exceed £2>o.

1622. Record

The

Office, Sir

Henry

Lee's Accounts of the Armoury.

following details are mentioned

:

Redskins for bordering of armour, calfskins for the same, leather for Round headed nails, Tynned nails, flat headed nails, white nails, yellow nails, double buckels, buckels, nails and taches for gantlets, copper nails, brockases, tacejoyntz. gauntlets.

The "nails" here mentioned are rivets of iron or brass or copper. Some were tinned to prevent rusting, a custom which was practised as early as 1361, for we find in one of the inventories of Dover Castle* ^

5

Arch. Journ.,

XL

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

34

The "taches" for gauntlets were turning-pins. The " brockases" were

under that date "xiii basynetz tinez."

some kind,

festenings of also probably

possibly

brooches or fastenings of some

sort,

and the "tacejoyntz"

hinges for attaching the tassets to the taces. 1624.

State

Erection of Papers Domestic, Jac. /, Vol. CLXXX, 71, 72. Martin at Erith. (This document is quoted length in Appendix J, p. 188.)

Plating-mills by Capt. at

The rates

for Plaetes

and armors exectly examined for the prices the

strength and lightness considered are thus reduced.

of a tun of Armer plaetes Two chaldron of coles wt. carriadge will be Reparation for the mill The workmen for battering this tun of plaetes The armourers may make them wt due shape black

The chardge

nayle and lether

them

for

o 2 12

o o o

7 lo

o

j^iS 1 1

400

etc. etc.

The 1

63

1

entries in this .

document

Feedera, xix, p. 312.

will

be examined fully on page 41.

Rymer.

Unstriking new fyling russetting new nayling lethering and lyning of a cuirassiers armor

i

iii

o

This entry occurs in a document under the Privy Seal of Charles I, dated Westminster, June 29, which refers to the using of a hall-mark for armour. The principal portion of this is given in Appendix K, page 191. 1643. State Papers Domestic, Car. I, Nov. 20. Letter from Privy Seal to treasurer under Treasurer of Exchequer to pay Wm. Legg Master of the Armoury ^C^oo by way of imprest upon account to be employed in building a mill at Woolvercote near Oxford for grinding swords for building forges providing tools other necessaries for sword blade makers to be employed to make

&

&

&

swords for our service. I, D, Feb. 26. Warrant of the Privy seal to Exchequer. By our special command Legg has caused to be erected a mill for grinding swords at Woolvercote co Gloucester forges at Gloucester Hall, you are therefore to pay upon account to Wm. Legg Master of

1644. State Papers Domestic, Car.

&

Armory

sum

not exceeding j(^20oo for grinding swords and belts in the office of the armory the same to be made at the usual price and according to pattern as by us appointed also to provide tools and other necessaries for sword blade making employed by the said Master of the Armory. the

a

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC.

^^

In the second of these extracts "co Gloucester" is a slip of the pen due to the close proximity of " Gloucester Hall." It should of course read " Oxford." The mill was originally owned by the nuns of Godstow,

who

received

it

from Henry

for paper-making.

no records

are

now used by the Clarendon Press There is now Worcester College.

It is

I,

Gloucester Hall

either in the city or university to

throw more

light

on

these entries. 1649. Parliamentary Survey, Feb., No. 30.

The Armory

Mill consisted of two little rooms and one large one in mills, then lately altered. The mill with stables stood in an acre of ground abutting on Lewisham Common and was used till about twelve years before the above date for grinding armour and implements for the King's tilt-yard.

which stood two

The

described in the rental of the manor, 4.4 Edw. as one for grinding steel and valued at 3s. 4d. per ann. mill

is

1660. Harl.

Ill,

1371,

MSS. 7457.

A view and Survey of all the Armour and other Munitions or Habiliaments of Warr remayneing at the Tower of London.^ Armorers Tooles. Small bickernes, Tramping stakes/ straite sheres/ fileing tonges, anvill. Bellows,

The

Smiths

Round

stake,^

Hamers, Old tew

Welting stake/

iron,*

Great square

vices, Threstles.

entry which refers to the loss of the " Great Bear," a large

Appendix M. Before leaving the subject of tools and appliances, some notice should be taken of the picture by Jan Breughel (i 575-1632) entitled "Venus at the Forge of Vulcan" (Kais. Friedrich Mus., Berlin, No. 678), Here all the various operations which measures 54 cm. by 93 cm. of the armourer and gun-founder are shown, with a large quantity of The details of armour, weapons, bells, coins, and goldsmith's work. " glazing- wheels," and the especial interest are the grindstones and " tilt-hammers " worked by water-power, which were probably the machines used in the " battering-mills " more than once alluded to above. These water-turned hammers continued in use in England up anvil formerly at

•

Given

^

A

*

Bottom

in full,

pick

?

Greenwich,

Meyrick, Antient Armour,

{Eng. Dialect Diet.) stake.

is

given in

III,

I06.

*

* *

full in

For turning over edges of iron. This show^s that curved shears were also used. Possibly a nozzle for bellows {N.E. Did.).

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

36

to the

first

quarter of the nineteenth century/ and are

Italy at the present day.

They

found in

still

wooden cams

are raised by

or teeth

round the axle of the water-wheel, to which a handle is fixed on the near side for use when water-power was not available. The chiseledge of the hammer is for stretching the metal by means of a series of longitudinal hammerings. Of the grindstones actuated by the same water-power, the larger would be for rough work, the second for finer finish, and the smallest, which is probably a wooden " buff," would set

be used for the high polish at the end. impossible here to give a detailed description of this very interesting picture, which has been considered elsewhere by the It

is

present author.^

At

the same time the tools

shown

in this

workshop

worthy of notice as being part of the stock-in-trade of the armourer of the seventeenth century. are

To

of the tilt-hammers, in the foreground, are a pair of large bench-shears, and above them, on a cooling-trough, just below the magpie, is a long-handled swage for stamping grooves and edgings on metal plates. Tongs, pincers, and hammers are found in many parts of the picture, and dies for stamping coins or medals are seen immediately below the bench-shears. Directly under the right foot of Vulcan is a tracing- wheel, similar to that shown on Jost Amman's engraving of the the

left

Book of Trades. A small benchvice lies near the lower margin of the picture under the figure of Cupid, and a hand-vice and repousse hammer on

"Compass Maker"

in his

In the distance, over the the primitive contrivance for boring a

the three-legged stool to the figure of Venus,

is

left.

cannon, the mould for casting which

Fig. 17.

""^

"or'"5enny

floor.

The most

interesting detail

is is

seen close by in the to be

found in the

(seefrontispiece).

machine which lies at the foot of the small anvil at Cupid's This bears a strong resemblance to the modern burringright hand. machine or "jenny," used for turning up the edge of thin metal plates (Fig. 17).

The armour shown, 1

2

with

its

strongly

marked

volutes

and decoration,

Cabinet Cyclopedia, "Manufacture of Metals," Lardner, 183 1. Burlington Magazine, April, 191 1. Zeitschrift fiir Historische Waffenhinde,

V,

10.

FRONT AND BACK OF BRASSARD,

I4T0

TOOLS, APPLIANCES, ETC. common

37

Madrid and Turin armouries, some of which has been ascribed to Pompeo della Chiesa. We have no clue as to w^hose workshop this picture represents, but if taken from life, it must certainly have been that of some master like Bartolomeo Campi, who, besides being an armourer, was a bronze -founder and goldsmith

is

of a type very

as well (see Frontispiece).

in the

AND STEEL

IRON

THERE

information to be obtained regarding the actual materials used by the armourer. The chief source from which he drew his supplies seems to have been Innsbruck.

Why

is

but

little

not clear from the contemporary records, but we may be sure that the German metal was harder and better tempered than that of other countries, or there would not have been the demand for

it

this

was so

is

that there evidently was.

In the various entries in the State

Papers Domestic we find specific mention of " Isebruk " iron, and the merits of this metal must have been appreciated even in Shakespeare's time, for we have in Othello^ v. 2, 253, "a sword of icebrook's temper." In the earliest editions of the play the word is " Isebrooke," which is obviously the anglicized version of Innsbruck.^ Sheffield steel must have been appreciated as early as Chaucer's time, for the Miller carries a " Sheffield thwyrtel " (knife), and in 1402 the arrows used at the battle of Homildon were pointed with Sheffield steel, so sharp that no armour could repel them. It is possible that the German iron-smelters had discovered the properties of manganese, which hardens steel, and thus obtained a superior metal to that produced in other countries. The discovery of steel was probably a fortuitous accident, due to the fact that the first smelting-works were fuelled with charcoal, which deoxidizes iron and turns some portion of the metal into natural steel. The Germans themselves realized the superiority of their material, for in 1 5 1 1 Seusenhofer complained that his merchant was not giving him good metal, and advised that it should be classed as " Milanese," so as not to lessen the fame of Innsbruck iron. Till the seventeenth century English iron seems to have been largely used for domestic purposes, for we find on examining Professor Rogers's

Agriculture

and Prices

^ The quotation continues : the marks of Spanish sword-smiths.

that

German

"a sword

iron

of Spain."

38

We

is

find

never mentioned, but there many

Solingen and Passau blades bearing

IRON AND STEEL

39

are frequent references to English and Spanish metal. The following prices from the above work show the fluctuations in prices of iron in

England. 1436. Spanish iron, 241b., is. 6d., or about j£i^ the ton. 1462. Iron, 42 lb. at 5d., or j£iy los. the ton. 1562. Raw English iron, j^i2 los. the ton. Bilbow (Bilboa), £1 1 8s. the ton. Spanish, j£i2 the ton. 1570. Iron gun-stocks, made up, j^zS the ton, 1571. Steel bar, j^io the ton. Bar steel, ^£2? 4^- ^^^ ton. 1584, Spanish iron, ^£14. the ton. 50 bars to the ton, or about 45 lb. to the bar, 1622. Steel, j^32 the ton. 1623. Spanish iron, ^£14. los. to j£i^ los, 1624. Iron bars of 24 lb. at j^37 4s. the ton.

These

prices vary so greatly that

we must be

sure that there was

a great difference in the quality, and also in the state in which the

metal is delivered. In some cases there must have been a great deal of preparation and finishing of the raw material to account for the high price paid. In 1 5 1 7 an entry in the State Papers Domestic, given on page 3 1 states that 2541 lb. of Isebroke steel cost ^^26 12s., which gives about ^23 for the ton. In the Sussex Archaeological yournal^ II, 200, Walter Burrel gives He an account of Sussex ironworks in the seventeenth century. states that when once the flirnace was lit it was kept going sometimes During for forty weeks, the period being reckoned in " foundays." each founday eight tons were made with twenty-four loads of charcoal. The metal was cast into " sows " weighing from 600 to 2000 lb. He states that " they melt off a piece of the sow about three quarters of a hundredweight and beat it with sledges near a fire so that it may not fall to pieces, treating it with water they thus bring it to a * bloom,' a four square piece 2

weighs 3 3 sq.

3 '4 lb. ft.

by ^

ft.

long."^

Therefore in. thick.^ *

^

Modern

bar-iron

i in.

by

i

in.

by 12

in.

bloom would approximately make a plate Even with these data it is impossible to tell

this

This would be a piece about 2 ft. by 3J Large plates of horse-armour are about

in.

^

by 3I in.

in.

thick.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

40

the size of the plates deHvered to the armourer ; for the appliances in the Middle Ages were but crude, and it is doubtful if rolling-mills were

From

used in the sixteenth century.

we know

the picture by Breughel, given as

were in use, but these would hardly have been used to flatten plates of any great size. It would appear that iron in some localities was tainted with some poison ; for in a Giographie d'Edrisi c^ottd in Gay's Ency/opcedia^ ^99? reference is made to a mountain in Armenia where the iron ore is poisoned and which, when made into knives and swords, produced mortal wounds. It may have been that this was actually the case, but it is more probable that it was an invention of the owner of the mine designed to give his the frontispiece,

that tilt-hammers

productions a fictitious value. A few details of interest in connection with the manufacture of iron

England may be gathered from the Metallum Martis of Dud Dudley, The treatise was printed in a natural son of Edward, Lord Dudley. 1665 and refers to the author's endeavours to interest the Crown in his in

project for smelting iron with sea-coal instead of his address to the

nical

remarks

King

as follows

wood

or charcoal.

In

(Charles II) and Council he prefaces his tech:

" Our predecessors in former Ages had both serious Consultations and Considerations before they made these many Wholesome and Good Lawes for the preservation of Wood and Timber of this Kingdome. Therefore it I Eliz. 15, 23 Eliz. 5, 27 Eliz. 19, 28 Eliz. 3, 5. concerns His Sacred Majesty, his high Court of Parliament ... to lay it to heart and helping hands upon fit occasions in these laudable Inventions of making Iron & melting of mines and refyning them with Pitcoal, Seacoal, Peat, and Turf ; for maintenance of Navigation, men of War, the Fishing and Merchants trade, which is the greatest strength of Great Britain whose defence and offence next under God consists by his sacred Majestie's assisting care and view of his men of War Ordinance of Copper, Brass and Iron, Armories, Steels, and Irons of all sorts." In his letter to the King he mentions Shippings, Stores, Armories, Ordnance, Magazines, and Trade. He mentions several counties as mining centres, but does not include Sussex or Shropshire. The first of these two was probably ruled out, as the industry there depended on the .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

'*

o opoO

<-'

^

helmp:ts of I, 2,

3, 45.

henry

viii

FRONT AND BACK OF HELMET CV THE MISSAGLIAS PART OF THE SUIT SHOWN' ON PLATE XII, l!V CONRAD REUSENHOFER ,, ), ), BEVOR FOR THE LATTER THE ARMOURERS MARKS API-EAR ON 2 AND 4

IRON AND STEEL use of wood, against

We

4i

which Dudley's introduction of

coal was levelled.

Armour given in the chapter on " Proof" (page 66). Dudley seems to have formed a company in May, 1638, into which he took one Roger Foulke, " a Counsellor of the Temple and an ingenious man," as partner. find Shropshire mentioned in the Trial of

Before this his father. Lord Dudley, had employed a certain Richard Parkes or Parkhouse to carry iron merchandise to the Tower, which James I ordered to be tested by his " Artists," that is, of course, his armourers. Parkes made a sample fowling-piece of the new " Dudley

Ore," smelted from pit-coal, and signed his name in gold upon the barrel. The gun was taken from him by Colonel Levison and was never returned.

Dudley gives three qualities of iron grey iron, the finest, and best suited for making bar-iron ; motley iron, a medium quality ; and white :

iron, the least refined.

and specifications he never actually mentions the making of armour and but seldom the casting of It is

curious that in

his calculations

all

ordnance.

In considering the weights of suits as given in Appendix J we find the following details. By the prices given 20 cwt. make one ton. The cwt. at the time of James I was 112 lb. Now we are told that " Sixe hundred of iron will

of plates," so

we

gather that in

hundredweight was

lost.

per suit or portion of a

hundred turning the pig-iron into plates one

The above suit

make

entries give the following weights

scheduled

:

Five hundred (weight) of plates will make 20 cuirasses of pistol proofe with pauldrons. Therefore one set will weigh .

Four hundred (weight) of sets)

plates will

five

.

.

.

make 20

pair (or

28

lb.

1 1

lb.

3 oz.

89

lb.

10 oz.

40

of cuirasses without pauldrons.

Therefore one

set will

weigh

.

Sixteen hundred (weight) of plates will armours. Therefore one lance-armour^ will weigh 1

For

particulars of

.

.

make 20 .

" lance-armour "

.

lance-

.

.

see

Appendix

I.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

42

Five hundred (weight) of plates will make

20 proof

targets.

Therefore one target will weigh

Twelve hundred (weight) of

.

.

plates

will

.

.

make 20

(40 sets) of strong cuirasses with caps. Therefore one set of cuirass and cap will weigh

28

lb.

33

lb.

pairs

.

.

10 oz.

Four " platers" will make up 3700 weight or 37 cwt. of plates in one week, therefore one plater will make up 9 cwt. 28 lb. in a week or I cwt. 57 lb. or thereabouts in one day. For comparison with existing suits of which the weights are known

we may

use the following details

:

lb.

Paris (G, 80), circ. 1588.

Cuirass, arm-pieces,

Head-piece

Stanton Harcourt, Oxon,

circ.

1685.

and

(II, 22), circ,

1686.

Cuirass

Long

(II, 92),

of

XVII

cent.

.

(2)

Cuirass

Head-piece

Tower

.

.

Head-piece Arm-pieces

Tower

tassets

.

gauntlet

Cuirass

Head-piece The whole of this suit weighs

.

should be noted that two of the items in the Appendix are described as of " proof" and one is described as " strong." The lancearmours are not qualified in any way, but from their weight they must It

have been proof against musket or arquebus. It is

impossible to discover what size the "plates" were

made

before

they were handed over to the armourers. The largest single plate in the Tower is a portion of the horse-armour of II, 5, known as the " EnThis piece measures 27^ in. at top and 28^ in. at graved Suit." bottom by 17 in. and i8| in. high, or roughly speaking 28^ in. by i8jin., about fgin. thick, weighing about 6 lb. 4 oz. If the numbers given on page 41 represent plates and not hundredweights, each plate

IRON AND STEEL

^^

obviously absurd. It is more likely that, with the crude appliances in use, an ingot of metal was beaten out into such a plate as the weight of the ingot might give,

i^in. thick

would be 6

by ii

in.

in.,

and

this

is

might be, and not standardized in any way. Dudley writing in 1665 describes the methods of ironworkers

larger or smaller as the case

Dud

before his introduction of sea-coal.

could make but one Httle lump or bloom of Iron in a day, not 100 weight and that not fusible, nor fined, or malliable, until it were long burned and wrought under hammers."^

"They

1

Metallum Martis,

p. 37.

THE GRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

THE

from that of the smith, but there are some details which the armourer had to consider which were not part of ordinary blacksmith's work. There are no contemporary works of a technical nature, and our investigations can only be based on actual examination of suits, assisted by scattered extracts from authorities who mention the subject in military works. In 1649 J. Cramer printed a work, De nArmorum Fabricatione, but it throws no light upon the subject and quotes from Roman actual craft- work of the armourer differed but

little

authorities.

In the first place, the making of mail was a distinct craft which had no counterpart in other branches of smithing. At first the wire had to be beaten out from the solid, and thus the few fragments which remain to us of early mail show a rough, uneven ring of wire, clumsily fashioned and thicker than that of later dates. The invention of wiredrawing is generally ascribed to Rudolph of Nuremberg, about the middle of the fourteenth century,^ but there were two corporations of wire-drawers in Paris in the thirteenth century mentioned in Etienne Boileau's Lfpre des Metiers^ written about 1260. When the wire was obtained, either hammered out or drawn, it was probably twisted spirally round a rod of the diameter of the required ring. It was then cut off into rings, with the ends overlapping. The two ends were flattened and punched or bored with holes through the

A

small rivet, and in

some

was then inserted, was burred over with and a hammer or with punches (Fig. 15, It is possible that some kind of riveting-pincers 18 ; also Plate IV). were used, but no specimens of this kind of tool are known. ^ Sometimes the ends of the rings are welded, which would be done by heating them and hammering them together. Before the rings were joined up they were interlaced one with another, each ring passing through flat

portion.

cases two,

this

^ ^

The History of Inventions, Beckman. See Dover Castle Inventory^ p. 25. The " nailtoules"

44

may have been

used for this purpose.

BRIGANDINE, OUTSIDE AND INSIDE.

BREASTPLATE FOR BRIGANDINE, 1470, SHOWING ARMOURER'S MARK

XV CENT.

RIGHT CUISSE OF AR.MOUR FOR BARRIERS SHOWIN(; ARMOURER'S MARK

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

45

Occasionally, to obtain increased strength, two rings were used for every one of the ordinary mail, but representations of this

four others.

double mail are rare. The terms " haubert doublier," "haubert a maille double," and " haubert clavey de double maille " are found in French inventories,

and

in the inventory of Louis

X

which

been quoted before we find "33 gorgieres doubles de Chambli, un pans et uns bras de roondes mailles, une couverture de mailles rondes demy cloies." These different items suggest that there were various ways of making mail and of has

The double mail has been noticed, and the mail " demy cloues" putting

it

together.

was probably mail in which the ends of the links were closed with only one rivet. The " maile roond " being specially scheduled points to the fact that sometimes mail was made of flat rings, but Fig- iS. Method of making mail. whether cut from the sheet of metal or merely of flattened wire it is impossible to say.

Where piece

—

that

coif were

The

the covering of mail was not is,

when

made

in

one

the shirt, leggings, sleeves, or

made to open

—they were

chausses, or leggings of mail,

fastened

by laces.

were often laced

back of the leg, as is shown in the sketchbook of Wilars de Honecourt, thirteenth century, figured in Armour and Weapons (Plate I) by the Fig. 19. Sculptured reprepresent author. The coif of mail was generally kept sentation of (i) double and (2) single mail on the close to the head by a thong round the temples (Fig. effigy of R. de Mauley, formerly York in 1242, 23, 8), and was in some instances fastened in front {Archeeologia, Minster XXXI). with an overlapping flap and a lace (Fig. 20). The Camail, or tippet of mail, which is the distinctive detail of the armour of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century, was either hung from a flat plate of metal which was fitted over the vervelles or at the

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

46

on the bascinet and kept in place by a lace or a thick wire, or the mail itself was hung over the vervelles and the plate fitted over it and secured in the same way. This latter method appears to have been more commonly in use, to judge from A sculptured effigies and brasses. staples

bascinet in the Ethnological

Athens,^

shows the

and wire that secured

Coif of Mail, (i) Effigy of William Mareschal, Earl of Pembroke, Temple Church. (2) Effigy in Pershore Church, Worcs (from

Fig. 20.

vervelles, it still

plate,

in place,

but the mail has all corroded and disappeared. A good restoration of the camailon a bascinet with a leather band instead of a flat plate is to be found in the Wallace Collection (No. 74). In the thirteenth century we find one of the most unpractical of all the armourer's contrivances in the nasal flap hinged or laced to the camail, hanging down over the chin when not

—

in use,

Fairholt).

Museum,

and

fastened,

when

required,

by a pin or hook. The nasal of the eleventh century, figured on the Bayeux Tapestry and elsewhere, was practical because it provided a defence for the nose and face which was as rigid as the to the bascinet

helmet itself; but this later nasal could only protect the wearer from the actual cutting of the skin, for the full force of the blows would be felt almost as much as if there were no defence at all. These nasals are figured so frequently in Hewitt, Hefner,

and elsewhere

that

no

special illustration

is

necessary in the present work.

A variety of mail which, from the sculp-

Fig. 21.

Fig. 22.

Attachment of Ca-

Attachment of

mail, effigy of Sir R. Pembridge,Cle-

honger

Camail.

Church,

Hereford.

tured effigies and from miniatures of the thirteenth century, appears to have been in high favour, has

known

as

"Banded

come

to be

Mail."

In both painted and sculptured records the methods of representa^

Archttologia,

LXII.

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

JJ JJJJJJJJJ J JJJJ,

^AJ^L,Ay:/Ljt„i,/,A.

i

m

ir ll

l i

l

ll «i | l

>W

I| ll»l""l

i

'''''r'' '""i'"'f''''l"''''"* i

10

Banded Mail.

Fig. 23. I,

4. 6. 8. 9.

2, 3. Suggested reinforcements of chain mail by leather thongs. Rings covered with leather 5, section of same. ;

Meyrick's suggestion 7, section of same. From Romance of Alexander, Bib. Nat., Paris, circ. 1240. Effigy at Newton Solney, Derbs ; 10, section of same. ;

47

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

48

tion differ considerably from those

employed

to suggest the ordinary-

mail of interlaced rings.

In the middle of the last century, when the subject of armour began to be seriously studied, this banded mail was the subject of many theories and suggestions. Meyrick considered that it was composed of rings sewn on to a fabric, overlapping each other sideways ; but a practical experiment will prove that such an arrangement would be impossible, as the weight would be excessive and the curve of the body would cause the rings to "gape." Other writers have considered that the same arrange-

ment of rings, covered with leather which would prevent the "gaping," is the correct solution ; but here again the heat would be a grave drawback.^

An

important point on all representations of banded mail is that, when part of the garment is shown turned back, the back is the same as the front. The most practical suggestion was put forward by the late G. Waller,^ who considered that it was simply chain mail with J. leather thongs threaded through every row or every alternate row of This would give a solidity to an otherwise too-pliant fabric, links. and would keep the mail in its place, especially on the arms and legs. It would also show the same arrangement of rings back and front.

The drawing from that Waller's theory

is

the

Romance of •tAlexander goes

far to

the right one, for here the thongs are not

prove

shown

on hands and head, where greater pliability of the mail was required, and yet these defences appear to be part of the same garment which shows the " banded " lines. It is almost superfluous to add that no specimen of this kind of defence survives to-day, but Oriental mail is sometimes found stiffened in this manner with leather thongs. The wearing of mail survived longer than is generally supposed. Holinshed, writing in 1586 (page 90 of the present work), mentions

of mail as part of the ordinary equipment of the foot- soldier. On Plate 8 of Derricke's Image of Ireland the mounted ofiicer wears mail sleeves, and in an inventory of Hengrave Hall, Suffolk, taken in 1603, we find gorgets and shirts of mail, and barrels for cleaning the same. shirts

Edward

Davies, writing in

that the arquebussiers 1

1619 {The jtrt oflFarre),

wore a

Arch. Journ.,

shirt

XXXVII.

distinctly states

of mail (see page 115). 2

Jrchaologia,

LIX.

ARMOUR PRESENTED TO HENRY VIII BV THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN, MADE BY CONRAD SEUSENHOFER, lol4

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

49

The

Brigandine and splinted armour were made by riveting small plates or horizontal lames on to a fabric foundation. In the former the fabric was outside, and rich ornamentation was obtained by the gilt rivet-heads

which held the

plates to the outer covering (see page 150). In the latter case the metal was on the outside and was riveted on to a foundation of linen. In some cases the rows of small plates are divided by strips of fine mail. There was no particular craft needed in making

the brigandine, but the metal used was often of proof and was with the maker's name to attest it.

marked

As may be

seen on Plate XI and Fig. 36, the small plates of the brigandine are wider at the top than at the bottom, and overlap upwards. The reason for this is that the human torse is narrower at the waist than at the chest,

and the

plates could not overlap each other

and yet conthey overlapped downwards.

form to the lines of the figure if Although lighter and more pliable defences than the cuirass, the brigandine and jack were very effectual for protection against arrows, for we find, according to Walsingham,^ that the rioters under Wat Tyler shot at a jack belonging to the Duke of Lancaster, but were unable to damage it, and eventually cut it to pieces with swords and axes. The jack or canvas coat of Sir JohnWilloughby, temp. Elizabeth, now at Woolaton Hall, is formed of stout canvas inside and out stuffed with two layers of tow with horn discs in between. The whole is kept together by a series of lacings which appear on the outside as lines and triangles of the same kind as those shown on Fig. 25. It is composed of six panels, two for the breast, two for the Figure wearing 24. back, and two small ones for the shoulders. A Fig.Jack (from Chasse of S. Ursula, by Memling, portrait of Willoughby in the Painted Gallery at 1475-85. Bruges). Greenwich shows such a jack with red cords. The jack was generally lined with metal plates and examples of this may be seen in the Tower (III, 335, 336). These are also made up of six panels and weigh about 1 7 lb. each. They are composed of about *

Historia Anglicana, Rolls Series, p. 457.

THE ARMOTJRER AND HIS CRAFT

50

64 metal plates^ (Fig. 25). In the Shuttleworth accounts published by the Chetham Society are to be found entries of 9^ yards of linen to make a " steel coat," a pound of slape or pitch, two dozen points or The laces for two coats, and 1650 steel plates. cost of the coat, inclusive of making, would 1 1

come

to about

£\. same manner of

the

A

cap, constructed in

small

plates,

is

in the Burges Collection at the British

Construction of Jack. A. Outside. B. Plates with cover and cords removed.

Museum

the

Mediceval

Room on page 62. The brigandine was sometimes

reinforced

and

Fig. 25.

shown

is

figured in the Guide

to

one on each breast, riveted to the fabric which composed the whole defence. An example of this nature exists in the WafFensammlung at Vienna, and there are also several of these reinforcing plates, the brigandines of which have perished, in the Ethnological Museum at Athens (Fig. 26). These latter were found in the castle of Chalcis, which was taken by the Turks from the Venetians in 1470, so they can be dated with accuracy.^ On one of the plates is a mark which strongly resembles the mark of Antonio Missaglia (see Plates XI, XVI). These brigandines with solid breast-pieces are described in Appendix D, page 177. Both these plates and the example at Vienna are fitted with lance-rests which seem to be eminently unpractical, as the garment is more or less pliant and would not be of much use in sustaining the weight of a lance. The most curious of these reinforcing plates is to be found in the picture of S. Victor by Van der Fig. 26. Brigandine at Vienna, No. 130. Goes, circ. 1450, which is now in the Municipal Here the uppermost part of the torse is protected Gallery at Glasgow. by strong plates of steel, but the abdomen is only covered by the brigandine (Fig. 27). As an example of this fashion of armour and as ^

Arch. Journ.,

LX.

with large placcates

'

Italian

Armour

of

steel,

at Chalcis," C. IFoulkes, Archaologia,

LXII.

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

51

a most careful representation of detail this picture is as valuable as it is unique. Splinted armour is practically the brigandine without a covering, but made usually of stronger plates or lames.

The

fact that the

body was covered by

a series of small plates ensured greater freedom

and ease

in

Fig. 28.

movement than was

Effigy at

possible with

Ash Church, Kent, fourteenth

century.

and back plates. The monument in Ash Church and the statue of S. George at Prague are good examples of the splinted armour of the solid breast

fourteenth century (Figs. 28, 29). That the skill of the sixteenth-century ar-

mourer surpassed

man

Fig. 29.

suit

Statue of S. George, Prague, 1375.

is

Van

that of the present-day crafts-

evident after careful examination of some

of the triple-combed Burgonets and Morions of the middle of the century. They are often found forged in one piece with no sign of join or welding, and what is more remarkable still, there is but little difference in the thickness of the metal all over the piece.. Now, when a smith hollows out a plate of metal into a bowl-like form, the edges are generally thicker than the inside of the bowl ; but in many of these head-pieces the metal is almost of equal thickness all over, a tour de force which few metal-workers to-day could This thinning of the metal was utilized imitate.^ to a great extent in the different portions of the

which were not exposed 1

S. Victor, by der Goes, Glasgow.

Fig. 27.

to attack.

As

Cf. Baron de Cosson, Arch. Journ,,

will

be found in the chapter

XXXVII,

p.

79.

52

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

on "Proof," the back-plates were generally thinner than the breasts. In jousting-helms the top of the skull, which, from the position of the rider

when jousting, was most exposed to the lance, was generally much thicker than the back of the helm, where there was no chance of attack. Again, the left side of both jousting and war harness is frequently thicker than the right, for it was here that the attack of both lance and sword was directed. Up to the middle of the fifteenth century the shield, hung on the left arm, was used as an extra protection for this

more vulnerable side of the man-at-arms, but it seriously interfered with the management of the horse. By the sixteenth century it was discarded and the armour itself made stronger on the left side both by increased thickness and also by reinforcing pieces such as the Grandgarde, the Passgarde, and the Manteau d'armes. Perhaps the most ingenious contrivance used in making the suit of armour is the sliding rivet (Fig. 30). This contrivance has come to be called the "Almain rivet" in modern catalogues in a sense the

found in contemporary documents. In these documents never

I

Fig. 30.

\

Sliding rivet showing (i) front, (2) side, (3) back.

"Almain rivet" is a light half-suit of German origin, made up of breast, back, and tassets, with sometimes arm - pieces. The word "rivet" was employed the

in the sixteenth century for a suit

of armour, for Hall uses the word This word is therefore more probably derived from the same root as the French revetir, rather than from the rivets which were used in the making of the suit. Up to the sixteenth century the rivet as we know it to-day is always called an "arming-nail," and it is only in the middle of the sixteenth century that we find the word rivet used as part of the armourer's stock-in-trade. These light suits were put together with sliding rivets, which have at the present day received the name originally given to the whole suit. The head of the rivet is burred frequently in his Chronicles.

over and fixed in the upper plate, but the lower plate is slotted for about three-quarters of an inch, so that it will play up and down on the shank

ARMET OF

SIR

HENRY

LEE, BY JACOB TOPF,

l.-,:i0.1.-.;i7

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

53

of the rivet and give more freedom of action than the fixed rivet ; at the same time it will not allow the two plates to slide so far apart as will uncover the limb or body of the wearer. These sliding rivets were used to join the upper and lower portions of the breastplate which was in fashion in the last years of the fifteenth century, so as to allow a certain

amount of movement for the torse backwards and forwards. They were also employed to join the taces, which needed a certain amount of play when mounting a horse or when sitting. When the "lobster-tail " cuisse superseded the taces and tassets in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries they were used instead of the fixed rivets for joining the lames of the cuisse.

The most

ingenious arrangement of sliding

rivets,

however,

is

to be

found on the brassards of the late fifteenth to the seventeenth century. As has been noticed on page 6, the armourer had to consider in this case both the defensive needs of his patron and also the necessity for using his arm as conveniently as was consistent with safety. Now the only actions needed for the right arm are those of holding the lance in rest and of striking with the sword. The arm-defence therefore had to be so constructed that the arm could be bent for the former and raised for the latter. To do this the lames of the rerebrace are joined with sliding rivets at the hinder corners, but at the front corners they are joined with a strap fastened vertically to the top plate of the brassart and riveted, when extended straight, to each lame. This allows play for the lames in the two above-mentioned positions, but when the arm is dropped, after the blow has been delivered, the lames automatically close one over the other and completely protect the arm and allow no backward movement. The same arrangement is found on the laminated cuisses and tassets, in which the inner edges of the lames are joined by a strap and the This combination of sliding rivet and strap is outer by sliding rivets.

shown on Fig. 7 and on Plate IX. Another ingenious arrangement on the

brassard

is

the turned-over

edge or the embossed rim fitting in a collar, both of which allow the lower part of the rerebrace to turn horizontally to adapt it to the outward action of the hand and arm. In most suits the bossings of the rims are outside, but on the " Engraved Suit " (II, 5) in the Tower they

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

54

are inside.

The former

gives a

smooth

surface to the wearer's

the latter presents a smooth surface to the opposing

A

weapon

arm and

(Fig. 31).

rim and collar are found on close helmets and gorgets of the sixteenth century (Plate XIII). Meyrick,^ misreading Fauchet's^ reference to the burgonet, considered this helmet with a lower edge fitting into the gorget to be the burgonet, but he brought no real similar

evidence to support his assertion. Although the helmet and gorget

one over the other and therefore surmounted one of the chief dangers in war or joust, when the lance might penetrate the space between these two portions of the suit, it will be seen on examination of any suit of this kind that from fitted

the oblique position of the gorget

the embossed rim of the helmet

could not possibly turn in the hollowed rim of the gorget, so that it can only be considered as

improvement which in no way added to the convenience

a defensive

in use, if anything

Fig. 31. Sections of Rerebraces. 1.

2.

3. 4.

" Engraved

Suit,''

Tower,

Tower, II, 6, 1540. Tower, II, 7, 1570. Wallace Collection,

II, 5,

1514.

pered the wearer, turn his

it

rather

ham-

he could only head inside the helmet as

340.

and that to no great extent. In some late suits a pin fixed at the back of the gorget comes through a hole in the lower edge of the helmet and prevents any possible movement. It is almost superfluous to mention the straps which join the various portions of the suit. These are always placed, where possible, in positions where they are protected from injury ; as, for example, on the jambs they are on the inside of the leg, next to the horse when the wearer is mounted, and the hinge of the jamb being of metal is on 1

Antient Armour, II, 164.

"

Origines des Chevalivers,

etc.,

1

606,

p.

I42.

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

55

In some cases the end of the strap after being buckled fits into a " shoe " bossed out of the

the outside.

armour

plate (Fig. 33). It is practically impossible to notice the various

forms of turning or locking pins used for joining parts of a suit. The general principle is that of a turning rivet with a flat, fan, or hook shaped head vi^hich, fitting into an oblong slot in the upper plate, can be turned

hold the two plates together. There are many varieties of this fastening, based upon the same principle, but those existing at the present day are often modern restorations. In suits for the joust or tourney these adjustable fastenings could not always be depended Locking 2. upon, and the great helm, the manteau d'armes, and the Fig, Gauntlet of Sir passgarde were often screwed on to the suit with square Henry Lee, Armourers' Hall, or polygonal headed bolts tightened with a spanner. London. The gauntlet was sometimes capable of being locked, for the unfingered flap which covered the fingers was prolonged so as to reach the wrist. at right angles to

1=1

I

where

A^uuu

'

•:©.--

it

fastened over a

pin.

This was used in foot

j ousts

to prevent the weapon

from being struck out of the hand and is sometimes called the " forbidden gauntlet," an absurd term

>I>

r\

\

iI^9JL£l 4-

Fig. 33.

Locking hooks, turning

pins,

and strap-cover.

when we consider that many fine suits are provided with this appliance, which would not be the case if its use were not allowed (Fig. 32, also Plate XXII). few of the fastenings used to hold the different parts of the suit together are

A

shown on

Fig.

33.

The

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

56

hook (No. i) is found on the armets made by Topf (page 21 and Plate XIII). Here the hook A is shown in position fastening the visor over a

When it is necessary to open the visor a leather thong w^hich was attached at C is pulled and at the same time the button F is pressed. button D.

This depresses a spring riveted to the visor at G and projecting with a small tongue at E. The depression of E allows the hook to be moved back and the visor to be raised. When the hook is moved forward to close the visor the tongue E springs up and locks the whole firmly. No. 2 of the same figure is another contrivance for locking plates together, and C C C is the is found on 695, Wallace Collection, and elsewhere.

armour plate. The hook is pivoted at C and is fitted with a spring at D. When the leather lace at A is pulled the tongue of the hook B is brought back flush with the plate C and allows the visor to be raised. When the visor is closed the hook springs back No. 3 is a catch of the to its position and locks the plates together. same kind, but is worked by a spring of the same kind as that which locks the " Topf" hook. The pressing of the button A sets back the hook B, which is riveted to the plate at D. No. 4 is a " spring pin," or " federzapfen " as they are called in German and " auberon " in French. The small flange let into the pin is kept pressed outwards by a spring and is pressed back to slip the pauldron, in which is a hole cut for the purpose, over the pin. No. 5 shows a series of turning pins which are riveted to the lower plate in taces, cuisses, tassets, etc., but can be turned at will. The upper plates that are fastened by these pins are pierced with narrow oblong slits through which the flat head of the pin can be passed ; a turn at right angles locks the two plates closely. No. 6 is an ingenious contrivance found on 1086, Wallace Collection. The armour plate is bossed upwards to form a covering for the free end of the strap when buckled, to prevent the chance of section of the

this loose piece

of leather being cut off or of hindering the wearer in

any way.

On

shown the support

without which it was always liable to be struck off. It is screwed with wing nuts to the crest of the sallad and to the back of the cuirass. The piece for face reinforcing and breast of the same nature as the mentonniere and grandguard. These various methods of fastening plates Fig.

34

is

for the jousting-sallad,

PARADE ARMOUR 1. •2.

FOR KING SEBASTIAN OF PORTUGAL, BY ANTON PEFFENHAUSER, FOR CHARLES V, BY BARTOLOMEO CAMPI, ISW

Irii

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

57

together can be only studied to advantage by careful examination of actual suits,

modern

and even here there

is

always the chance that they

may be

Perhaps the most elaborately contrived suit in existence is that made for Henry VIII for fighting on foot in the lists (Tower, II, 28). This covers the wearer completely with lames back and front, and allows as much movement as is possible in a suit weighing restorations.

composed of 235 separate pieces, all of different form. There are similar suits in the Musee d'Artillerie, Paris (G, 178, 179) of a more ornate character. The cuisse of one of these suits is shown on Plate XI and the inside of the cuisse of the Tower suit on Plate IX. While dealing with this question of the pieces that compose a suit, it should be 93

lb.

(Plate VIII).

It

is

Bracket for joustingf34. noted that the " Leicester " suit in the Tower Fig, sallad and reinforcing bevor, Dresden, C, 3, 4. (II, 10) is made up of 194 pieces, and a suit at Madrid (A, 164, the "Muhlberg" suit of Charles V) requires one

mounted and

six

unmounted

figures to

show

it

off completely.

THE MAKING OF ARMOUR IN ENGLAND, FROM CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTS 1

32 1. Edward II sends David le Hope, armour-smith, to Paris to learn the method of making sword-blades for battle.

1322. Regulations concerning the covering of helmets with fabric and the selling of old and broken helmets. Arm. Co., Lond. (see Appendix A).

1347. Regulations of the Heaumers' Co. fol. cxlii (see

1355.

Appendix

The Mayor and

Sheriffs of

in the armourers' shops.

1365.

The armourers

London ordered to appraise the armour Rymer, III, v, 817.

of London are in

work, but the results are not The King (Edward III) insists on proof or trade satisfactory. marks. " Certa signa sua super omnibus operationibus suis ponant." Rymer, III, 772.

1386. Armourers are forbidden

Rymer, III, 546. 8

City of London Letter Book, F,

B).

to

full

increase

the

prices of their wares,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

58

Petition to the Mayor and Aldermen of London against 1408. Oct. 12. foreign importers who use marks similar to English marks, and praying to keep the price fixed and regulated by the masters of the cutlers and bladesmiths jointly. Agreed to by the Mayor. City

of London Letter Books, l,fol.

Ixxi.

very similar to the Ordinances of the Hastings MS. noticed in Arcbceologia, LVII. It is given here in full, as it is the only Treatise literary effort of an armourer that is known in England. on Worship in Arms, by Johan Hill, armourer (Bod. Lib. Ash., 856)

1434. This

(see

is

Appendix

C).

1436, Proclamation forbidding the armourers to increase their Fcedera,

prices.

Rymer, X, 647.

1509. Sir Nicholas Vaux, Lieutenant at Guisnes, orders all the garrison to be English except gunners, crossbow-makers, spies, beer-brewers, armourers, and smiths. Cal. State Papers, Hen. VIII, Vol. I. 1

5

1

5 14.

1 1

.

Payments made

for a forge for Milanese armourers at

The armourers from

Brussels

are

installed

Greenwich.

by Henry

VIH

at

Greenwich. 15 1

1

5.

544.

Almain or German armourers mentioned

as

King's servants.

A

complete account of the charges of the King's Armoury, with wages of the workmen. Brit. Mus., Cott. App. XXVIII, 75 (see Appendix F).

1556. Sir John Mason reports to the Council that he has obtained 50 fardels of plate for harness provided by the Schorers from Augsburg. In Considerations delivered to 'Parliament in l^^g it is suggested " that iron mills be banished out of the realme, where wood was formerly id. the load at the stalk now by reason of the iron mills it is 2/- the load. Formerly Spanish iron was sold for 5 marks the ton now there are iron mills English iron is sold at 9/-." This may be the key to the question of importation of armour ready made. Evidently the use of wood in iron-smelting presented a serious difficulty. As may be seen in the chapter on Iron (p. 40), the use of wood in the furnaces was considered a grave danger, as it took material which should have been used for shipbuilding. The English forests were limited and had not the vast acreage of the German woods, so that the deforestation was merely a question of time. 1578. Inquiry as to a dispute between the armourers and blacksmiths as to right of search for armour, etc. The judges state that " the Armourers did show us that King Edward the Second did grant to the Lord Maior and his bretheren the searche with the armourers." Records Arm. Co., London.

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER 1580., Sir

59

Henry Lee made Master of the Armouries.

1590. Petition of the armourers of London to Queen Elizabeth against the importation of foreign armour and workmen. Lansdowne MS., 63, 5 (see

161

1

Appendix G).

1,

Survey and inventory of all armour, etc., in the armouries of the Tower, Greenwich, and Windsor in the late custody of Sir Henry Lee, deceased, and now of Sir Thos. Monson, Master of the Armoury. State Papers Domestic, Jac. I, Ixiv, June 8.

6 14.

Warrant to pay to Wm. Pickering, Master of the Armoury at Greenwich, ;^2oo, balance of ;^340, for armour gilt and graven Man., Vol. IV, 29. made for Henry, Prince of Wales,

for the late Prince.

This suit, Royal Collection 161

8.

at

Sign.

Windsor

(see Plate

is

now

in the

XX).

Undertaking of the Armourers' Company to make certain armours every six months and the prices of the same. Records of the Armourers Company of London (see Appendix H).

1619. Proclamation against the excessive use of gold and silver foliate except for armour and ensigns of honour. S.P.D.Jac. I, cv, Feb., Proclamations, 65 (see 1

1

Appendix

I).

62 1. Gild of Armourers and Smiths incorporated at Shrewsbury by The " Arbor " of the Gild existed at Kingsland in James 1. 1862. The Gild carried a figure of Vulcan dressed in black armour in their processions. Their motto was " With hammer and hand all hearts do stand." The armour is in the Museum at Shrewsbury. Reliquary, Vol. III. 624. Erection of plating-mills at Erith by Capt. John Martin.

Jac.

I, clxxx,

1625. Falkner

JI

(see

Appendix

J)

asks for an inquiry as to

Armouries.

S.P.D. Car.

S.P.D.

I, xiii,

the condition of the Royal

96.

1627. Report of George, Earl of Totnes, on Falkner's petition advising John Cooper, Keeper of the King's Brigandines, to surrender his patent. S.'P.D. Car. I, liv, i.

Cooper refuses to surrender unless his and a half are paid. S.P.D. Car. I, 1

arrears of i6d. a Iv,

day for a year

70.

627. Petition of Falkner (Fawcknor) as to the condition of the armouries. S.P.D. Car. I, Ixxxiv, 5.

1628. Order to gun-makers, saddlers, and cutlers to bring patterns of their S.P.D. Car. I, xcv, March 10. wares. 1628. Whetstone's project to make armour lighter and as good as proof. No details as to the process are given S.P.D. Car. I, Ixxxix, 23. in this entry.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

60

1630. Inquiry into the

work done

in the State armouries

of the Tower,

etc., with lists of the Remaines, moved by Roger The whole of this document is S.P.D., clxxix, 65. given in Antient Armour, Sir S. Meyrick, III, 78.

Greenwich, Falkenor.

1

63

1

.

Regulations respecting the use of a hall-mark by the Armourers' Company. Rymer, XIX, 309 (see Appendix K).

1635. Petition of the Workmen Armourers of London who are now old and out of work. S.P.D. Car. I, cctxxxix, 93 (see Appendix L). 1636. Benjamin Stone, blade-maker, of Hounslow Heath, states that he has, at his own charge of ;^6ooo, perfected the art of blade-making, and that he can make " as good as any that are made in the Christian world." S.P.D. Car. I, cccxli, 132.

1660.

A

Tower Armoury arid the Remaines contained thereThis was taken after the Civil War and shows that much of the working plant had been scattered. Harl. MS. 7^S7 (^^^ Appendix M). survey of the

in.

1666.

"Armour

of the Toyras provision with headpeeces whereof made Tower Inv. sub ann. England to be worn with the said armes." Meyrick considers that this was made at Tours, but brings no evidence to support his statement. It may have been part of the equipment of the infantry under Marechal de Toiras, who assisted Charles I against the Huguenots in La Rochelle in 1625. Several breastplates in the Tower are stamped "Toiras."

in

Wm.

Legge appointed Master of the Armoury. Legge was Gpvernor of Chester in 1644, Governor of Oxford in 1645, was offered and declined an earldom by Charles II, and died in 1672. His eldest son was created Baron Dartmouth.

1666. Col.

1685.

An

ordinance of James II that all edged tools, armour, and all copper and brass made with the hammer in the city of London should be approved by the Armourers' Company. Records of the Company.

of any of the known English armourers that are worth recording. Pickering, the pupil of Topf, was the most celebrated, and the record of his position of Master of the Armourers' Company will be found under that heading. John Blewbery, whose name occurs in several entries in the Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic, seems to have been merely the master- workman, and we

There are no

details relating to the lives

have no evidence that he attained to a higher position. His name does not appear in the existing records of the Armourers' Company. Asamus or Erasmus Kyrkenor first appears in a list of payments in 1 5 1 8.

THE CRAFT OF THE ARMOURER

ei

was employed to make candlesticks and for " garnishing books " with clasps, etc., in 1529, when presumably there was a slack time in the armouries. There are further entries of this nature in 1530, 153 1, and 1532, in which year he "garnished" eighty-six books. In 1538 he was made Brigandarius to the King, vice John Gurre, deceased but we find no details as to the duties of this office, which was continued to the reign of Charles I, when it became the subject of a complaint from Roger Falknor (Appendix In 1 547 we find Erasmus in charge of the J). Greenwich Armoury, and in 1593 a note of the will of Wm. and Robt. Mighill states that they were the grandsons of Erasmus Kirkenor,

He

;

deceased.

A

list

of English armourers

is

given on page 126.

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR AS

armed man realized that iron and steel were the best defences for his body, he would naturally insist -that some sort / -^ of a guarantee should be given him of the efficacy of the goods supplied by his armourer. This system of proving armour would be effected by using those weapons most commonly in use, and these, in the early times, were the sword, the axe, the lance, the bow, and the crossbow. The latter seems to have been the more common form of proof, though as late as the seventeenth century we have evidence that armour was proved with the " estrama^on " or sword blow. In considering the proof of mail we are met with certain terms which are somewhat difficult of explanation, but which evidently are intended to convey the fact that the mail mentioned was of especially good quality. These terms are " haute cloueur," " demi-cloueur," " botte cassee," and "botte." soon

as the

%

^

^

M.

Charles Buttin,^ in his studies on the arms used for proving

armour, considers that " botte " is here used to denote a blow in the sense that it is used in fencing for a thrust or a lunge (It. botta). The word " cassee " he takes to be derived also from the Italian " casso," vain or empty. The term "haute" or "demi-cloueurs" seems rather to suggest the single or double riveting of each link of mail. Ordinary mail is either welded or joined with one rivet, but in some cases, as in III, 339, Tower, two rivets are used to obtain increased strength for the fabric (see also page 44). Mail seems to have been proof against arrows at a very early period, for we find in the Chronicon Colmariense^ under the year 1398, the statement that the men-at-arms wore " camisiam ferream, ex circulis ferreis contextam, per quae nulla sagitta arcus poterat hominem vulnerare." The earliest entry of this mail of proof is found in the Inventory 1

Gaya,

^

op. cit.

62

Revue

Savoisientie, 1

906,

fasc. 4,

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR

es

X

of Louis (le Hutin) of France, which is here given together with other entries of the different expressions used with regard to proof of this nature. 1316. Inventory of Louis

Item uns pans^

Uns de meme

le

et

Hutin.

Bib. Richel.,

uns bras de roondes mailles de haute cloueur.

d'acier plus fors.

Item uns couverture a cheval rondes

MS. Jr., 7855.

demy

.

.

.

de jaseran de

fer,

uns de mailes

clouees.

In this entry there is evidently a variety of mail which is even stronger than that of "haute cloueur," but this may possibly be of stouter or better-tempered metal. The horse-armour would not need to be of such high proof as that of the man, because from its form it would be

more or

less in folds

when

the horse was in action and

present double thicknesses to the weapon. clad horse also in

An

illustration

given in the present writer's ^Armour

is

Monumenta

would therefore

and

of the mail-

Weapons.^ and

Vetusta^ Vol. VI.

1390. Archives Catnerales de Turin Comptes Tres. gen. de Savoie, No. 38, Jo/. 627;.

Achettez de Simond Brufaler armeur, de mons

un auberjon

.

.

.

per

le pris

de

d'acier de toute botte.

This expression " de toute botte " suggests that the armour was proof against all blows, that is from the sword, the axe the "estrama9on " above alluded to and also against the bow and the crossbow. In 161 2 Sturtevant in his Metallica writes on page 62 that the ironworker should "make things stronger than the Exact strength which the thing is to have," and we find this borne out in an extract from the Armerie di Roma, Arch. Stat. c. 150, of the date 1627, which mentions old armour "a botta" which had been proved with "due e tre colpi dell' arma alia quale dovevano resistere."^ The proof by the crossbow is mentioned by Angellucci in a note, quoting from the Arch. Gonz. Copialett..^ T. II, c. 65: "et si te mande-

—

—

remo doi coraza is

como

i

quali tu farai aprovare la ditta

balestro di cidello." ^ The last-mentioned weapon arbalest a tour " or windlass crossbow. It would seem from

como uno bono

the "

M.

veretoni di nostri saldi,

Buttin's researches that the ^

Panzer, body-armour.

armour " a toute epreuve" was proved by ^

Cat. Armeria

Reak

Turin,

1

29.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

64

crossbow and sword, and that "a demi epreuve" by the smaller lever These varieties of proof crossbow or by the javelin thrown by hand. were indicated by the marks stamped upon them, one mark for the single In some documents we have and two for the double (see page 65). definite entries of arrows used for proof, which would naturally have exceptionally well-tempered points :

1378. Reg. de la Cloison d' Angers, No.

Pour deux

milliers de fer

6.

pour viretons partie d'espreuve

commun.

partie de fer

The " vireton " was a crossbow-bolt which had metal or wood so fitted that it revolved in its course. 141 6. Compt de Gilet Baudry, Arch.

Mun.

Fleches a arc empannees a cire

it

et autre

spiral

wings of

Orleans.

et ferres

de fers d'espreuve.

Here the "feathering" of the arrow with copper is specified, for was this metal wing which, acting like the propeller of a boat, caused

the arrow to revolve with increased velocity. for

These arrows of proof cost double the price of ordinary arrows, we have entries of such projectiles in the year 141 9 costing 8s. the

dozen, while the ordinary quality cost but 4s. the dozen. Details of the regulations of setting proof marks upon armour will be found in Appendices B, E, K. The proving of brigandines was most carefully carried out, for in some instances every separate plate was stamped with the proof mark. In the Paris Collection double proof marks are found on the brigandine G, 206, and a similar double mark appears stamped on the Missaglia suit G, 3, but of a different design. The helmet of Henry VIII on II, 29 (Tower) also bears the double proof mark of one of the Missaglia family (Plate X) It would be tedious and unnecessary to give a list of those armours which bear these proof marks, for they are to be found in every armoury of note in Europe ; but it will be of some profit to quote various extracts showing the reason and the effects of proofs or trials of armour. In the sixteenth century the firearm had become a serious factor in warfare, therefore the proof was decided by submitting the armour to .

pistol or

musket

shot. ^

Rev,

Savoisienne,

ipo6,

fasc. 4, p. 2,

• •^,-

t\.^A-'

'^f"^

«^y

Hv

(^

'i

\4

1. 2. 3. 4.

VENETIAN SALLAD COVERED WITH VELVET, XVI CENT. BACK PLATE OF BRIGANDINE COVERED WITH FABRIC, 1470 MORION WITH COVER, XVI— X\II CENT. SURCOAT OF THE BLACK PRINCE

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR

es

1347. Regulations of the Heaumers of London (original in Norman-French), City of London Letter Book^ F,fol. exHi.

Also that helmetry and other arms forged by the hammer shall not from henceforth in any way be offered for sale privily or openly until they have been properly assayed by the aforesaid Wardens and marked with their marks (see Appendix B). .

.

.

1448. Statutes des Armuriers Fourbisseurs d' Angers. quels maisters desd. mestiers seront tenus besoigner et faire

It. les

ouvrage

et

armuriers,

bonnes

pour tant que touche

etoffes, c'est assavoir

feront harnois blancs pour

ils

hommes

les

d'armes, de toute

epreuve qui est a dire d'arbalestes a tilloles et a coursel a tout le moins demie espreuve et d'espreuve marquees de 2 marques d'arbaleste a crocq et traict d'archier, marquees d'une marque (see .

Appendix

The

.

.

.

.

.

E).

"arbaleste a tilloles" was the large

bow

bent with a windlass, the "arbaleste k crocq" was smaller and was bent with a hook fastened to the waist of the archer (see Payne Gallwey, The Crossbow). 1537. Discipline Militaire, Langey,

...

les

I,

Harnois soient trop

I'Escopeterie, neantmoins

ils

chap, xxii, pp. 79, 80.

foibles

pour

defendent

resister a I'Artillerie la

ou

a

personne des coups de

Pique de Hallebarde, d'Epee, du Trait, des Pierres, des Arbalestes, et des Arcs. Et par fois une Harquebuze sera si mal chargee ou si fort eschauffee ou pourra tirer de si loin, que le Harnois pour peu qu'il soit bon sauvera la vie d'un homme. .

The above

.

.

writer considers, and with reason, that

when

certainty of firearms was taken into consideration defensive

of

much

practical use

;

and

this

the un-

armour was

theory was held as late as the eighteenth

warmly recommends the use of defensive armour, especially for cavalry, as he considers that a large proportion of wounds were caused by sword, lance, or spent bullets. It was evidently from reasons such as the above that a reliable proof by pistol or musket shot was insisted upon, for the armour of the Due de Guise in the Musee d'Artillerie (G, 80) is of great thickness and weighs 42 kilos. It has either been tested by the maker or has seen service, for there are three bullet marks on the breastplate, neither of which has penetrated.^ century, for Marshal Saxe in his Les Riveries^

1

Edit. 1756, p. 58. half-suit in the possession of

H. MofFat, Esq., Goodrich Court, formerly the property of New A The bullet has dented this and also the College, Oxford, has a heavy " plastron " or reinforcing piece. The head-piece and back-plate are pierced by bullets. cuirass underneath. ^

9

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

66

1569. Arch. cur. de Nantes.,

I, col.

612 corps de cuyrace

.

.

305. .

garnis de haulzecou

devant sera a I'espreuve d'arquebuse

The terms "high proof,"

et le derri^re

"caliver proof," and

.

.

de

.

desquelz

le

pistol.

"musket proof" often the time when armour

occur in writings of this period and onwards up to was discarded ; but it is difficult to get any definite information as to how the proof was made. In the above entry there are two kinds of proof, which show that the back-plate was thinner than the breastplate, the resisting power being obtained not only^ by temper of metal, but also

by

its

thickness.

1568.

L,es

Armuriers frangais

et etrangers,

Giraud, pp. 191, 192.

Ung corps de cuirasse lequel sera a I'espreuve de la pistoUe, ung habillement de teste a I'esprouve de la pistolle, brassartz a I'esprove de la pistolle, tassettes courtes a I'esprouve de la pistolle. .

.

.

Here is evidently a necessary definition of each piece. Probably on some former occasion the armourer had classed the whole suit as of proof

when such

a description

might only be honestly given to the

cuirass.

Accounts of actual trials are rare, but the following extract is of interest It is given in full, with as showing the methods employed in England. many valuable extracts bearing on the craft of the armourer, by Viscount Dillon, in Archceologia, Vol. LI. The extract is taken fi-om a letter from Sir Henry Lee, Master of the Armoury in 1580, to Lord Burghley, and bears the date Oct. 12, 1590. The first part of the letter states that a gentleman of Shropshire was

anxious that the metal mined in his county should be used for armour instead of the

German

iron

which

at this

time was considered to be the "To give the more credyte to

Henry writes the armourers of London and

best in the market.

Sir

:

Mr. workman of Grenewhyche, the Counsell apoynt in there presence that Sr. Robarte Constable and my cossyn John Lee shoulde see a proofe made wh. by The "Shropshire gentleman" sent Sir tryall proved most usefull." Henry " a new brest beyng sent owt of the country of gret litenes and strengthe as he was made beleve," and entrusted him to " cause another of the very same wayght to be made in her Matys office of Greenwhyche, wh. I presently performed." Pistols were then loaded with equal charges and fired at the two breastplates, with the result that "that made in the that stufFe to

to Jacobi the

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR

67

Offyce and of the metall of Houngere^ helde out and more than a littel dent of the pellet nothinge perced, the other clene shotte thereowe and much tare the overpart of a heme the brest studde upon as longe as my

Thus muche

Ynglyshe metall." From time to time, as has been noticed before, there had been efforts to wrest the monopoly of the supply of metal for armour from the foreigner, but here was a very tangible proof of the superiority of the

fyngeers.

alien material.

It is

for the

true that the Shropshire breastplate appears to have

been sent from that county for the

made up by

test,

while the foreign metal was

Royal Armoury at Greenwich under the eye of Jacobi (Topf), a master-craftsman who can have had but few rivals at that time. Possibly he may have possessed some secrets of tempering and hardening his metal which were unknown to less experienced smiths, and so have obtained the award of superiority for the metal of his own country. Topf had migrated to England from Innsbruck and must certainly have had friends among the iron-merchants of that locality. So his interests were obviously on the side of the foreign the highly skilled

workmen

in the

metal.

may be

only romance or it may be fact, but certainly Oliver de la Marche,^ writing about the year 1450, describes some such process of tempering armour after it was made. " Boniface avoit trempe son harnois d'une eau qui le tenoit si bon que fer ne povoit prendre sus." It is not to be suggested that it was a special kind of water that was used for this, but rather that it was some method of heating and cooling Angellucci, in the Catalogue of the the metal which was employed. It

Armeria

Reale, Turin (p. 129), quotes, from century, the account of a breastplate made

documents of the sixteenth by Colombo, an armourer

of Brescia, being spoiled because he had used excessive charges for his pistol or musket. Montgomery, Pt. II, p. 187. Les chevau-legers estoient armez d'armes completes d'une Le teste estoit a la legere. a I'epreuve.

1602. Milicefran^ais,

cuirasse

shows that the back-pieces were much lighter than the proof breastplates, and this is borne out by other similar entries during the century. Evidently the efficacy of the musket had increased in the first

The last

^

detail

Hungarian or Innsbruck

iron.

^

Memories,

I,

xxi

(edit. 1884).

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

68

years of the seventeenth century

and with

it

the weight of the proved

armour. In later entries we find that pistol proof is of more frequent occurrence, and from this we may gather that the weight of metal was a serious hindrance to the soldier and that he preferred the risk of a bullet.

there are cases to be found of complete proof, for in

Still

1605 even

the brayette was of proof {Arch. Gov. Brescia Privil.^ R. 7, V^ p. 10),^ and if this small, in fact the smallest, portion of the armour was proved,

we may be

whole suit was tested equally. In 1628-9 we learn from the State Papers Domestic, Ixxxix, 23, that one Whetstone had a project for making light armour as good as proof, but there are no details of his methods. It is quite probable, in most cases, that when one piece of the armour was proved the rest were made of similar material and tempered in the same way, and that actual proof was not expected or given. An interesting extract from the Memorials of the Verney Family^ IV, 30, gives us some information as regards the proof of armour sure that the

:

1

667, Feb. Richard Hals is choosing some armour for his cousin in London he has tested it with as much powder as will cover the bullet in the palme of his hand.

This rough-and-ready method of estimating the charge is borne out in Gaya's Traite des ^Armes^ P- 3*^ (Reprint 191 1, Clarendon Press). The Verney extract goes on to say that Verney wished to have the armour tested again, but the armourer refused, for by this time it was finished, and he said that "it is not the custom of workmen to try their

armour

after

it is

faced and filed."

£i\

and when

was delivered Verney was by no means pleased, as it did not fit.^ A clear proof that armour was tested before it was finished is to be found on the suit made by Garbagnus of Brescia for Louis XIV of France, now in the Musee This

suit cost

2s. 8d.,

M.

d'Artillerie (G, 125).

it

Buttin^ in noticing this suit describes

it

as

" La magnifique armure offerte aLouisXIVpar la Republique de Venise," but in this we must certainly hold a different opinion, for the production, although elaborately engraved, is perhaps the best example of the decadence of the craft of the armourer, so graceless and clumsy are its lines ^

Cat.

Armeria Reale Turin,

p.

73 note.

^

See page I05.

^

Rev.

Savoisienne,

I^oi,

fasc.

2 and

2.

CAST OF IVORY CHESSMAN, XIV CENT,

IVORY MIRROR CASE, XIV CENT,

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR

69

and proportions. The proof mark is upon the left of the breastplate, at the point where the lower edge of the pauldron ends. It has been made the centre of a double-petalled rose, showing plainly that the bullet mark was there before the engraver began his work. A similar mark at the back is made the centre of a flower (Fig. The document 35).

,'oft^lnali^Musge

Fig. 35.

Detail showing proof mark on breast of suit of Louis XIV, Mus. d'Art, Paris, G, 125.

"proof mark" of the Armourers' Company of London will be found in Appendix K. Gaya in his Traite des oirmes^ 1678, referred to above, states on page 53 that the casque and front of the cuirass should be of musket relating to the

In proof, but the other parts need only be of pistol or carbine proof speaking of head-pieces he states, on the same page, that the heavier kinds were proved with musket-shot, but the light varieties were only

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

70

"estrama^on" or sword-cut and he adds that for armour to be good it must be beaten and worked cold and not hot. We have seen how armour was proved and how the proof mark of crossbow-bolt or bullet is often found as a witness to the fact. In addition to this we frequently find the mark or poin^on of the armourer, which invariably means that the piece is of good workmanship and worthy of notice. Like all the other craft gilds, that of the armourer was very jealous of the reputation of its members. The tapestry weavers of Flanders were obliged to mark, in some cases, every yard of their production ; and so in fine suits of armour we find many of the individual pieces that go to make up the suit stamped with the maker's mark and also with the stamp of the town. These town stamps are mostly found in German work from Nuremberg, Augsburg, etc. We find the name Arbois used on some Burgundian armour, but never are the names of Italian or French towns stamped. With the sword this rule does not hold good, for the Spanish, Italian, and German makers frequently used the town of origin as a mark in addition to their own. Toledo, Passau, Ferara, Solingen are all found upon swords, and are very often stamped upon blades of an entirely different nationality. This forgery of the stamp may have been perpetrated with the intent to defraud, or it may simply have been " used as a mark of excellence, like " Paris fashions " or " Shefiield steel tested with

at the present day.

;

The

forgery of marks on suits of armour

seldom met with and where

it

exists it

is

is

very

obviously done for ulterior

reasons.

The stamps take the form of signs such as the trefoil of Treytz, the monogram such as the "MY" of the Missaglias, and the crowned "A" of the Armourers' Company of London the rebus, as for example the ;

helm used by the Colman (Helmschmied) family, or a combination of two or more of the above variety. About the year 1390 we have the following entry :

i Achettez de Symond Brufaler armeur auberion d'acier de botte duquel toutes les mailes sunt seignier du casse seignet du maistre.* .

.

.

This shows that in some cases every link of mail was stamped with In Oriental mail letters and sometimes words the armourer's mark. 1

Arch. Cam. de Turin, Compte des Tres. gen. de Savoie, Vol.

XXXIX,

f.

163.

THE PROOF OF ARMOUR

n

from the Koran are stamped on each link, but we have no examples extant of European mail stamped with the maker's mark on each link.

On May Antwerp

ii, 15 13, Richard Thyrkyll writes to Henry VIII from saying that he can find no "harness of the fleur de lys" in

any part of Brabant (Brit. Mus. Galba, B, III, 85). This probably refers to a trade-mark or poingon well known as denoting metal of high temper. A brigandine in the Museum at Darmstadt bears this mark repeated twice on each plate, showing that it was Demmin {Guide des proof against the large crossbow (Fig. 36). Amateurs d ''Armes) gives a mark of a lion rampant as stamped on the plates of a brigandine in his collection, and an example in the Musee d'Artillerie has the

Nuremberg mark on each of

the plates.

In the case of mail a small label is sometimes found, r riveted on to the rabric, on which is the maker s stamp ; ,

1

1

an example of

•

1

•

1

•

1

1

»

Proof marks °" ^ Brigandine plate, Darmstadt Museum

fig. 36.

^'^^^* which is stamped on a ^^"" the mail skirt G, 86, in the Armeria Reale, Turin

this is the eagle

label attached to

(see

In brigandines we sometimes find each of the Table of Marks, 59). small plates stamped with the maker's mark, which is held to be evidence

of "proof" As we have seen from the entry under the date 1448, on page 65, the single stamp signified proof against the small crossbow and the double stamp proof against the heavy windlass-bow. As has been noticed above, the forgery or imitation of marks is more common on sword-blades than on defensive armour, and of these the In some inwolf, dog, or fox of Passau^is most frequently imitated. stances the representation is more or less life-like, but in others there is

simply a crude arrangement of straight lines that suggest the head, legs, body, and tail of the animal. Stamping of armour was practised early in the middle of the fourteenth century, as will be seen in the Regulations of the Company of

Appendix B. In Rymer's Fcedera (XIX, p. 312) we find accounts for repairing and remodelling armour in the year 1631, and at the end of the " For stamping every harness fit to be allowed list comes the entry

Heaumers

transcribed in

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

72

^o

armour that was remade from old material was subjected to tests, and also that these tests were recorded by a gratuitous stamp of the craftsman or of the company to which o o

",

which shows

that even

he l^elonged. only entry extant which actually refers to the making of these stamps for armourers is given in the Mem. de la Soc. ^rch. de Touraine^ T. 268-9 {yirck. de Tours Grandmaison). ^ pp.

The

XX

1470.

^

A

pour avoir fait et Pierre Lambert orfevre, la somme de 55 s. t. grave 6 poinsons de fer acerez pour marquer les harnois blancs et brigandines qui seroient faiz et delivrez en lad. ville, de la fa9on que le roy I'avait ordonne, et pour avoir retaille et ressue 2 desd. poinsons qui estoient fenduz en marquant les harnois. A Jehan Harane orfevre, pour avoir grave les armes de la ville en 2 poinsons de fer pour marquer les harnois et brigandines vendues en lad. ville 30 s. .

The number

.

.

of armourers' marks known at present amounts to several hundred, but of the majority nothing is known as to ownership few of the principal marks in English and Continental and history. collections are given on page 148.

A

PORTRAITS BY MORONI NATIONAL GAI.LEKV, LONDON

THE DECORATION OF ARMOUR

FROM

the earliest times defensive armour has been

decorated and ornamented with more or

more or

less

less elaborate detail as

the armourer became skilled in his craft and as the patron indulged

Perhaps the most astonishing work in this direction is the shoulder-piece of a cuirass known as the Siris bronze in the British Museum, which is of such elaborate repousse work that it is difficult to see how the tool can have been used from the back. It is not, however, the intention of this work to deal with Greek or Roman armour, or indeed with armour previous to the eleventh century ; otherwise its limits would have to be considerably enlarged. The ornamentation of early armour, the employment of brass or latten rings, which formed patterns on the hauberk, called for no special skill on the part of the craftsman, and it is only when we come to the thirteenth century that we find traces of actual decoration on the pieces of plate which in vanity or caprice.

composed the

And

suit.

should be remembered that the axiom of suitability was, in later years, forgotten, and the ever-important "glancing surface" was destroyed by designs in high relief, which not only retained the full shock of the opposing weapon, but also hindered the free movement here

it

The word "decoration" in of the several plates one over the other. itself suggests a "decorous" or suitable adornment, and this suitability was not always considered by the sixteenth and seventeenth century armourers.

The

use of jewels was always favoured

among

the nobility, and

we

find in the inventory of the effects of Piers Gaveston^ plates ornamented

with gold and silver and ailettes " frettez de perles." In 1352 King John of France and the Dauphin had elaborate head-pieces ornamented with jewels, and in 1385 the King of Castile wore a helmet at the battle of Aljubertota which was enriched with gold and valued at 20,000 francs.^ 1

10

New

Foedera, II, 203.

^

73

Froissart (Johnes' trans.), II,

1

24.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

74

John d'Aubernon, 1277, shows the first traces of the actual ornamentation of armour, which culminated in the work of Piccinino and Peffenhauser in the sixteenth century. Similar ornamentation is found on the brass of Sir Robert

The well-known

Poleynes on the brass of Sir Robert de Bures, Acton, SuflFoik,

Fig. 37.

^3°^"

brass of Sir

de Bures, 1302 (Fig. 37). It is possible that the poleynes shown on this brass and also the beinbergs on the figure of Guigliemo Berardi in the Cloisters of the Annunziata at Florence (Fig. 38) were made of cuir-bouilli and not metal, for there is not much incised or engraved iron found in domestic objects of But when we reach the end this period (Fig. 37). of the century we find a richly decorated suit of complete plate shown on the brass of an unknown knight of about the year 1400 which in no way suggests any •

i

i

•

.1

/i^-

\

material but iron or steel (Fig. 39). This engraving of armour, either

more century up

or by etching with acid, was employed with

by the burin

or less intricacy of

from the beginning of the fifteenth to the period when armour was discarded; for the suits of Charles I (Tower, II, 19) and of Louis XIV of France (Musee d'Artillerie, G, 125) detail

are almost entirely covered with fine engraving. tradition

is

well

known

printing the results

that the art of engraving

The and

on paper was discovered by the

Florentine metal-workers of the fifteenth century,

who

employed this expedient for proving their ornamental work upon various metals. In some cases the engraving of armour was merely the first process of the niello-work, in which the lines and spaces cut out were filled in with a black compound. Neither the engraving alone nor the niello- work in any way interfered with the utility of the armour, for the surface was still capable of a high polish Fig. 38. Beinbergs and would still deflect the weapon. No better example GuigUemoBSardt of this could be found than the "Engraved Suit" made Florence, 1289. for Henry VIII by Conrad Seusenhofer (Tower, II, 5). Here the entire covered with fine engraving of scenes fi-om the lives of SS. George and Barbara, and of decorative designs of the royal badges the surface

is

THE DECORATION OF ARMOUR

75

Rose, the Portcullis, and the Pomegranate. Originally the whole suit was washed with silver, of which traces remain, but there was no attempt to destroy the utility of the armour.

armourer

Indeed,

it

would have been a daring

who would

have essayed such decoration when making a suit which was to be a present from Maximilian to Henry VIII, both of whom were among the most practised jousters in Europe (Plate

was only when work in high relief was produced that this utility was destroyed. While XII).

It

condemning the neglect of true

craft principles in

we cannot but give our unstinted admiration for the skill in which this embossed armour was produced. The Negrolis, the Colmans, this

respect,

Campi, Lucio Piccinino, Peffenhauser, and Knopf were all masters of this form of applied art ; but the admiration which their work compels is that which we have for the work of a gold or silver smith, and not for that of the armourer. In some cases, it is true, there is some definite idea in the craftsman's mind of a subject, as for example the parade suit of Christian II (Johanneum, Dresden, E, 7), in which the artist, who is generally considered to have been Heinrich Knopf, embossed scenes from the labours of Hercules on the horsearmour. As a rule, however, the ornamentation is merely fantastic and meaningless, and consists for fig. 39. Brass of an unknown knight at Laughton, r the most part ot arabesques, masks, and amormi Lines, 1400. Vervelles. based upon classical models of the worst period and Camail. "Vif del'harnois," "defaut style. For sheer incoherence of design, and at the de 4. Baldrick. same time for technique 'which could hardly be Jupon. Gadlings or gauntlets. Bascinet. surpassed, we have no better example in any of the Edge of hauberk. applied arts than the parade suit made for King Sebastian of Portugal by Anton Peffenhauser of Augsburg in the second Here half of the sixteenth century (Real Armeria, Madrid, A, 290). we have tritons, nereids, dolphins and sea-horses, combats of classical warriors, elephants, allegorical figures of Justice, Strength, and Victory, 1

1

1

1

•

•

1.

2.

3.

la cuirasse,'*

5.

6. 7.

8.

76

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

gods, goddesses, heroes, virtues, and symbolic figures spread broadcast among a wealth of arabesques and foliation which leaves the beholder

was simply produced for parade purposes, when but little of the detail could be seen and none of it could In fact the whole equipment may be adequately studied or admired. be described in a sentence originally used in far different circumstances "C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre" (Plate XIV). Much of this embossed work was blackened or oxidized so that the Gilding and gold full value of the relief-work could be appreciated. inlay were also in high favour, but the latter art never reached the high pitch of excellence which we find in Oriental weapons, though the arrogant Cellini asserted that he could damascene swords as well as any Oriental craftsman, and better. That the art was not seriously attempted we gather fi-om Cellini's own words, for he says that it " differed from any he had as yet practised."^ In all this ostentatious riot of ornament we in England preserved a It is true that the City of London commissioned dignified reticence. Petit of Blois to make the cumbersome gilded and engraved suit for Charles I, but we have in our national collections no specimens of elaborately embossed parade armour which were made for kings, princes, or nobles in England. The master-craftsman Jacobi Topf and his pupil William Pickering both produced suits of great richness and beauty, but they were always eminently practical, and their utility and convenience were never hampered or destroyed. Where there is embossing it is shallow, and as the relief is not sharp there is no edge which might catch the lance-point or sword. Much of the work of Topf was russeted and gilt, a method which produced a highly ornate and yet never a trivial or conflised effect. The parade suit by Bartolomeo Campi, made for Charles V (Real Armeria, Madrid, A, 125), is so obviously a fantastic costume for masque or pageant that it can hardly be criticized as armour. It is based upon a classical model, for the cuirass is moulded to the torse after the manner of the armour of the late Roman Empire. As metalwork it will rank with the finest specimens extant, but as armour it completely fails to satisfy (see page 132 and Plate XIV). breathless at the thought that this

:

^

Life of Benvenuto

Cellini,

1910

edition, I, 112.

HELM OF

SIR

(ilLICS

CAPEL.

ARMING FOR COMBAT FROM THE HASTINGS

IN

IMS.,

\VI CENT.

THE

LISTS

XV CENT.

THE DECORATION OF ARMOUR

77

Although not in any way decorative, the " puffed and slashed armour copied from the civilian dress of the sixteenth century is an example of the armourer making use of embossing apart from the actual requirements of the constructive side of his craft. Radiating lines of repousse work, simple, fine, and delicate, had been introduced into the later forms of Gothic armour, the pauldrons had been fluted like the cockle-shell, and these flutings had been made of practical use in Maximilian armour, giving increased rigidity without weight, a factor which is found in modern corrugated iron. The imitation of fabrics in steel is, however, unpardonable, and has not even the richness or minute technique of the parade suits mentioned above. It is true that the embossing gives greater rigidity to the metal, but we can have none of the admiration for these unnatural forms of armour that we have for those in which the goldsmith and armourer worked together. The style of dress which was imitated was in itself designed to create a false impression, for the slashings were intended to convey the idea that the wearer was a swashbuckler, fresh from the wars. We can only, therefore, regard it as an absurdity to represent fabrics, which were supposed to have been frayed and cut by weapons, That the fashion was popular we know from in weapon-proof steel. the number of suits extant, and even Conrad Seusenhofer himself did not The vogue did not endure for more than disdain to produce them. about twenty years, for as soon as the fashion in civilian dress changed the armour

became simpler and the imitation ceased

(Plate

XXI).

THE GLEANING OF ARMOUR

An

important part of the work of the armourer was the cleaning /-\ and keeping in repair his master's effects. This was especially -^ -^ the case with mail, which from its nature is peculiarly susceptible to the action of rust. It is to this cause and to the incessant remaking of armour that we owe the loss of all authentic mail armour of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. A good example of this may be cited in the

hoard of plate armour and helmets, of which last nearly a hundred were collected, found in a cistern in the castle of Chalcis, in Euboea, in the year 1840.^ They had lain there since the year 1470, when the castle was taken by the Turks, and are in many instances in excellent preservation considering the condition in which they were found. The collection was brought to light and catalogued in a very unscientific manner by the ^historian Buchon, but there is no trace of mail of any kind except one link attached to a helmet. In the early part of the fifteenth century mail was used extensively both for complete defence and for protecting vital parts not covered by plate, of which details will be found on page 109 , therefore it is most improbable that a large collection such as this should have been left with no vestiges of mail. It is obvious, therefore, that the delicate fabric was attacked and destroyed by rust long before the same agent could make any effect on the solid plate. The following extracts will give in chronological order the various entries which concern the cleaning and repairing of armour :

1250

(?).

TAe Avowynge of King Arthur, stanza 39.

Gay gownus

of grene To hold thayre armur clene And were'' hitte fro the wette.

Here we

find the reason, or at any rate one of the reasons, for wear-

ing the surcoat. 1

Some writers have suggested

Charles fFoulkes, " Italian

Armour

that

at Chalcis," Archaologia,

78

it

LXII,

was worn to protect ^

Protect.

THE CLEANING OF ARMOUR

79

the Crusader from the sun in his Oriental campaigns, but the quotation

given definitely asserts that it was to keep ofFthe rain. This is certainly a practical reason, for, as has been stated before in this chapter, the intricate fabric of mail 1296. 23-24 F,dw. Itm. XX

This

s.

was peculiarly susceptible to damp.

I {Duchy of Lancaster

xj d. in

duobus

refers to leather sacks

or for cleaning

it

by shaking

it

Accounts).

saccis de coreo pro

armatura

cotnitis.

used either for keeping the armour in with sand and vinegar.

1344. Inventory of Dover Castle (see also page 25). i barrele pro armaturis roUandis.

The

was here used in the same way. The mail was placed inside with sand and vinegar and rolled and shaken. The same method is still

barrel

practised in

some

districts for

cleaning barrels for cider or

ale.

Chains are placed in the barrel with sand to obtain the same result. On Plate a barrel is shown on the extreme left of the picture with a mail shirt hanging over the edge.

XV

1364. Inventory of the donjon of Vostieza} i barellum ad forbiendum malliam. 1369. Prologue, Canterbury Tales, Chaucer.

Of fustyan he wered a gipoun AUe sysmoterud with his haburgeoun. This extract shows clearly the need for the barrel and sand. The mail had evidently rusted with rain and perspiration, and left stains " and marks on the quilted undergarment. We find the term " rokked used in the poem of Syr Gawayn^ which means cleaned by rolling. 1372. Froissart uses the expression a.

1

rouler leurs cottes de

fer.

41 7. Inventory of Winchester College. i barelle pro loricis purgandis.

1423. Roll of Executors of Henry Bowet, Archbishop of Tork, Oct. 20. j

barrelle

cum

suis pertinentiis

ad purgandos loricas

et

aUa arma

de mayle. 1467,

Howard Household Boo\ (Dom. 9d. to an armerer at Pawles ^

Expenses

Cheyne

Arch. Journ.,

LX,

in

England, 416).

for an barneys barelle.

I06.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

80

1513. Earl of Northumberland's Equipage (see also page 30). a

paommyshe.

Eight yards of white blaunkett for trussing of

The pumice was

for cleaning off the rust,

when

used for packing the armour 1

51

5.

in store or

Kings Book of 'Payments, Record

Office,

my Lord's harnes

in.

and the blanket was

on a journey.

under various payments

to

armourers.

Payment to Adrian Brand for hire of his mill house for Oct. II. cleaning the king's harness, 26s. 8d. the month. 1

Wm.

Gurre, armourer, making clean of certain harness, bockeling ledering of 400 Almain rivets for the Armoury at

5 17. April.

&

Eltham ^24 7

The " bockeling &

8.

ledering " of course refers to the fitting of

and buckles. The Almain rivet was the foot-soldier and has been explained on page 52. leather straps

1520. April. 1

1530.

WiUiam Gurre

for scouring

1000

pr.

new

half-suit of the

of Almain rivets at

2d. a pair.

Hans

Clerc armorer for furbishing and keeping clean the king's

armour in the armoury in the Tilt yard at Greenw^ich which John Diconson late had at 6d. a day. making the king's harnes att Thos. WoUwarde for keeping Windsor York Place 30s. 5d.

&

&

1567. S.P.D. Eliz., Addenda

xiii,

loi.

Payments are made in this entry to paint black various corselets which had become " fowle and rustic " and had " taken salt water in the sea"

Froissart describes the

at a

charge of 5d. each.

champion Dimeth,

at the

coronation of

Henry IV, as being " tout couvert de mailles de vermeil, chevalier et cheval."^ This painting of armour was frequently indulged in both for the above practical reason and also for personal adornment. Tinning was also used for protecting armour from wet {vide page 33 sub ann. 1622). Armour in the Dresden Armoury and elsewhere is painted black. Hall in his Chronicles in the account of the funeral of Henry V states that men-at-arms in black armour rode in the procession. The armour in the seventeenth century was often blacked or russeted. Suits of this kind are to be seen in the Gun Wharf Museum at Portsmouth and else^

Vol. IV,

c. 1 14.

This

detail is not

given either in Johnes' or Lord Berners' translation.

ARMOUR OF HKNRY, PRINCE OF WALES,

BY WILLIAM PICKERING,

1591-1630

THE CLEANING OF ARMOUR

si

where. Haselrigg's " lobsters" were so called, according to Clarendon,^ because of their " bright shells." It is quite possible that their armour was blacked. In the Lansdowne MS. 73, William Poore suggested a remedy for " preserving armour from pewtrifying, kankering or rusting," but there are no details given of the method he employed ; it was probably some kind of lacquer or varnish. Among the Archives of the Compte du tresor de Savoie (63 £ 157) is mentioned a payment to Jehan de Saisseau " por vernicier une cotte d'aciel," and in one of the Tower inventories (Harl. MS. 1419) of the year 1547 "a buckler of steel painted" occurs.^ 1567. S.P.D. Eliz., Add.

xiii,

104.

Sundry payments for cleaning and repairing armour Hampton Court, and Greenwich at lod. the day.

at

the Tower,

1580. S.P.D. Eliz., cxH, 42.

A

document written on the death of Sir George Howard ordering the cleaning and putting in order of the arms and armour at the Tower.

1628. S.P.D. Car. Capt. John

new

/,

xciii,

Heydon

61. to

Wm.

Boswell, Clerk to the Council, for the

russeting of a corslet, 5sh.

1603. Inventory of the Armoury at Hengrave.

Item one barrel 1

make

to

clean the shirt of maile

&

gorgets.

67 1. Patent applied for by Wolfen Miller (John Caspar Wolfen, and John Miller), for twenty-one years, " for a certain oyle to keep armour and armes from rust and kanker " for ^^lo per annum,

1647

(circ).

Laws and

Ordinances of Warr, Bod. Lib., Goodwin Pamphlets,

cxvii, 14.^

Of

a Souldiers duty touching his

—

Arms.

None shall presume to appeare with their Slovenly Armour. Armes unfixt or indecently kept upon pain of Arbitrary

II.

correction.

armour in store two instances have been mentioned above under the dates 1296 and 15 13.' In addition to these we find that in 1470 in the Chronique de Troyes., the French soldiers were forbidden to carry their arms and armour in " paniers," which, from the statement, was evidently a practice.

With regard

1

II

Rebellion,

to the keeping of

VII, I04.

^

Archaolagia, LI.

^

CromiuelPs Army, Firth, 413.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

«2

In the Wardrobe Account of

Edward

1281, published by the Society of Antiquaries, we find payments to Robinet, the King's tailor, for coffers, sacks, boxes, and cases to contain the different parts of the armour. In the Wardrobe Expenses of Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby (Camden Soc), 1393, are found the following entries I,

:

fol.

32.

fol. 33. fol.

40.

The "

pro pro pro

j

... ad imponendum scuta domini. house^ pro scuto domini ix scot, xij d.

i

breastplate

j

cofre

buckler of

steel

domini purgando ibidem

back

Museum,

a

vij

box

is

shown

for

Cover.

^

Arch. Journ.,

s.

is

In an engraving of Charles

I

scheduled as by W. Hole,

holding the breast and

plates,^ 1

li.

painted " mentioned above

being in "a case of leather." in the British

iij

xvij scot.

LX.

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN i4N LJk -^

^

important variety of defensive armour, received the notice which

armour of

it

deserves,

is

vv^hich has

not hitherto

the padded and quilted

was always popular vi^ith the foot-soldier on account of its cheapness, and was in the thirteenth century held in high esteem by the wealthier knight. In the case of crushing blows it would of course protect the body from breaking of the skin, but would not be of such use as the more rigid defence of plate. It was, however, very effectual against cutting blows, and had the advantage of being more easily put on and off, and, although hot, was less oppressive than metal in long marches. In linen, w^hich

miniatures of the fourteenth century we frequently find parts of the armour coloured in such a way as to suggest that

it

is

either not metal or else

metal covered with fabric. Where there was no metal and where the wearer depended entirely

on the fabric for protection it was heavily quilted and padded, or else several thicknesses of the material were used (Fig. 40). Where metal was used the defence was the ordinary plate armour covered with fabric, or the metal was inserted in small plates as

is

the case in the brigandine.

not the intention of the present section to deal with the various details of defensive armour except only as far as those details bear directly on Fig. 40, Pourpointed cuisses from the brass of Sir John the employment of fabrics, therefore the construcde Argentine, Horseheath, tion of the brigandine, which is well known to all Cambs, 1360. students of the subject of armour and weapons, will be found under the heading of the Craft of the Armourer on page 49. The same may be said of the horn and metal jacks which were a humbler form of the brigandine. The most concise It is

83

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

84

armour will be found in the Catalogue of Helmets and Mail by de Cosson and Burgess (Arch, yourn.^ XXXVII). Guiart in descriptions of such

of the fourteenth century, speaks de coton a pointz entailliez." These were probably

his Chronicles, written in the early part

of " cotes

faitices

common doublets, quilted or laced like Few of these defences of fabric have of

the jack. survived,

owing

to the ravages

moth and damp.

In the Pitt- Rivers Museum, Oxford, are a pair of culottes or drawers lined with thin busks of steel, and also two sets of rose-pink silk doublets, breast, back, and fald padded with cotton, both presumably of the late sixteenth century ; they are noticed in Arms and Armour at Oxford^ by the present writer, but no definite history is known of either of the specimens. Doublets and " coats of fence " of this nature occur frequently in inventories and other documents, but the following extracts give certain definite details which bear directly on the subject. 1

150-1200

(?).

Speculum Regale, Kongs-Skugg-Sio,

(actual date

For the

edit.

1768, pp. 405—6

unknown).

coverings sewed, which should extend to the kneeband of his chaucons or breeches over these The steel shin-pieces so high as to be fastened with a double band. horseman to put on linen drawers, such as I have pointed out. (Of the horse) let his head, bridle, and neck, quite to the saddle, be rolled up in linen armour, that no one may fraudulently seize the bridle or the horse. rider the following accoutrements are necessary

for the legs,

made of well-blacked

:

soft linen

;

There is a doubt as to the actual date of this manuscript. In the edition from which the above translation is taken it is described as of Icelandic origin about the year 1150, but it may be possibly as late as the beginning of the thirteenth century. The details of the dress worn

under the armour may be compared on the one hand with the leggings shown on the Bayeux tapestry and on the other hand with those mentioned in the Hastings MS. of the fifteenth century {Archc^ologia^ LVII), which gives the details of undergarments worn by the armed man at The horse-armour is the "couverture" or trapper this date (page 107). so frequently mentioned in inventories, which was often decorated with Even altar-hangings were used for this purpose, as fine embroidery. was the case in the sack of Rome in 1527. Padded horse-armour was

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN

85

used in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries for tournaments, minute regulations for which are found in the Traits d'un Tournoi by King Ren^ of Anjou, which will be referred to farther on in this chapter.

FRONT. Fig. 41.

BACK.

Padded Horse-armour

for the

Tourney (from King Rent's Traite d'un

Tournoi).

1286. Comptus Ballivorum Franctce}

Expense pro

cendatis, bourra ad gambesones, tapetis.

This item is evidently for stuffing gambesons with cendaP and tow. Cendal is somewhat of a mystery as to its exact nature. Like all fabrics of past ages, we can but guess at its nature. It has been discussed under its name in Gay's Glossaire Archeeologic. 1296. Ordonnances des Metiers de Paris, p. 371.

Que

nus (armuriers) ne puisse fere cote ne gamboison de tele dont I'envers et I'endroit ne soit de tele noeve, et dedenz de coton et de plois de toiles, et einsi que est qu'il soient dedenz d'escroes. It. Si Ten fait cote ne gamboison dont I'endroit soit de cendal et I'envers soit de tele, si veulent il que ele soit noeve et se il i a ploit dedenz de tele ne de cendal, que le plus cort ploit soit de demie aune et de demi quartier de lone au meins devant, et autant derrieres, et Et si il i a borre de soie qui le lit de les autres plois Ions ensuians. la bourre soit de demi aune et demy quaritier au meins devant et autant derrieres et se il i a coton, que le coton vienge tout contreval jusques au piez.

The

first

of these regulations concerns the materials used, and 1

2

Meyrick, Antient Armour, I, 1 39. Cf. jupon of Black Prince at Canterbury,

wadded with

cotton.

is

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

86

Company of London made in 1 3 2 2 Appendix A. So much of the w^ork of the

very similar to that of the Armourers'

which is given in full in padding and lining was hidden from sight that these regulations were most necessary to prevent the use of old rags and bad materials. The second entry seems to refer to the manner in which canvas and cendal were to be used and in what proportions. It should be noticed that at this period the surcoat, in England at any rate, was being gradually shortened.

The

regulation above quoted, however, suggests in the last

sentence that in France 1

3

1 1

.

From

Que

the

it

was

still

worn

long.

same source as the above.

nules d'ores en avant ne puisse faire cote gamboisee ou

il

n'ait

3 livres de coton tout neit, se elles ne sont faites en sicines et au dessous soient faites entre mains que il y ait un pli de viel linge empres I'endroit de demi aune et demi quartier devant et autant

derriere.

ordered to be new. It seems to have been allowed to put old linen, but this may possibly only mean seasoned linen, between the folds.

Here the quantity of cotton

is

given and

it is

1322. Chamber of Accounts, Paris.

Item Adae armentario 40

be

sol

4

d.

pro factoris gambesonorum.

The name "Ada" of the armentarius rather a female who provided these gambesons.

suggests that

it

might

1383. Chronique de Bertrand du Guesclin [T. II, p. 95, 235.) Ainsois I'ala d'une lance tranchant L'escu li a rompu et le bon jaserant Mais I'auqueton fu fort qui fu de bougeran

Et prendre auquetons de

From

the context of the

first

soie

ou de bougerans.

buckram would the lance which had pene-

extract this haketon of

appear to be a very serviceable defence, for trated the shield and the jaserant, or coat of plate, had not penetrated Like all other fabrics mentioned in the undergarment of buckram. medieval writings, we cannot definitely say of what material this buckram was composed, but fi-om the second extract it seems to have been used equally with silk for the haketon.

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN 1450. Ordinance of Louis

XI of France,

Chambres des Gompts, Paris.

s?

^

rabillement de Jacques leur soit bien proufitable et avantageux veu qui sont gens de pie, et que en ayant les brigandines il leur faut porter beaucoup de choses que en homme seul et a pied ne peut faire. Et premierement leur faut des dits Jacques trente toilles, ou de vingt-cinq, a un cuir de cerf a tout le moins et si sont de trente-un cuirs de cerf ils sont des bons. Les toiles usees et deliees moyennement sont les meilleures et doivent estre les Jacques a quartre quartiers, et faut que manches soient fortes .

.

.

pour

faire la guerre,

:

;

comme du

le corps,

sur I'os de I'epaule,

plantureux dessoulz

I'assielle et

Et doit

reserve le cuir.

non pas

collet,

pregne pres qui soit large dessoulz

estre I'assiette

les bras, assez faulce et large sur les

comme le demourant des Jacques ; et que II trop hault derriere pour I'amour de salade. faut que ledit jacque soit lasse devant et qu'il ait dessoulz une porte piece de la force dudit jacque. Ainsi sera seur ledii Jacques et aise moienant qu'il ait un pourpoint sans manches ne collet, de deux toiles seulement, qui naura que quatre doys de large seur lespaulle auquel pourpoint il attachera ses chausses. Ainsi flottera dedens son Car il ne vit oncques tuer de coups-deJacques et sera a son aise. costez bas,

le collet

le collet fort

ne

soit bas

;

main, ne de fleches dedens

lesdits

Jacques ses

hommes.

These very minute regulations show that the "jack" was considered At the same time a most serviceable defence in the fifteenth century. it must have been a hot and uncomfortable garment, for twenty-nine or thirty thicknesses of linen with a deerskin on the top, or worse still thirty-one thicknesses of deerskin, would make a thick, unventilated defence which would be almost as insupportable as plate armour. The last item may be a clerical error, and indeed from the context it would appear to be thirty thicknesses of linen with one of deerskin, for the The leather would be far tnore costly to work up than the linen. extract has been given in full because it is so rare to come across practical details of construction of this nature. 1470. Harl.

MS. 4780.

Inventory of Edward IV.

crimson velvet lined with Hollande cloth and with busk. interlined

Item

a doublet of

This may be only an ordinary doublet, or it may be some kind of "coat offence" or "privy coat" lined with plates of steel, horn, or whalebone. These " busks" of steel are found as late as the seventeenth century, 1

See also

Du

Cange,

Glossaire,

under "Jacque."

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

88

Adolphus had a coat lined with them (Lifrustkammer, Stockholm) and Bradshaw's hat (AshmoleanMus., Oxford) is strengthened

for Gustavus

with

steel strips.

1450

{circ).

(Fig. 50.)

T'raite

d\un T'ournoi,

King Rene.

harnoys soit si large et si ample que on puisse vestir et fault que le porpoint et mettre dessoulz ung porpoint ou courset soit faultre de trys dois d'espez sur les espaules, et au long des bras jusques au col. .

.

.

que

ledit

;

En Brabant, Flandre et Haynault et en ce pays-la vers les Almaignes, ont acoustome d'eulx armer de la personne autrement au tournoy car ils prennent ung demy porpoint de deux toilles de quatre dois d'espez et remplis de couton. :

.

.

.

garment worn under the tourney-armour was folded till it was three fingers thick on the shoulders. In the Low Countries, however, the pourpoint was of a different fashion, for there they made the garment of two thicknesses and stuffed this with cotton-waste to the thickness of four fingers. The difference of thickness can be accounted for by the fact that folded linen would not compress so much as cotton-waste. It should be noted in the extract from the Ordinances of Louis XI that old material is advised as being more pliable and softer. At the same time we may be sure that it was carefully chosen. It is interesting to note that in 1322 the material is ordered to be new, but in 1450 old linen is recommended. Besides the making of undergarments or complete defences of linen overgarments, pourpoints, the Linen Armourers, as we find them called in the City of London Records, made linings for helmets. This was a most important detail in the equipment of a man, for the helm or helmet was worse than useless if it did not fit securely and if the head was not adequately padded to take off the shock of the blow. In the Sloane MS. 6400, we find among the retinue of Henry V at Agincourt, "Nicholas Brampton, a stuffer of bacynets," and in the Oxford City Records under the date 1369 are the entries "Bacynet 13/4, stuffing for ditto 3/4." It

would seem from the above

that in France the

In the Hastings MS. [Archceologia^ LVII), among the items given as the "Abilment for the Justus of the Pees," the first on the list is "a helme well stuffyd." This stuffing consisted of a thickly padded cap or lining tied to the head-piece with strings, which are clearly shown in the well-

GAUNTLETS AND GORGET 1.

8.

BRIDLE GAUNTLET. 2. RIGHT HAND GAUNTLET BY JACOB TOPF, PART OF THE "LEICESTER" SUIT BRIDLE GAUNTLET OF JAMES I. 4. XV CENT. GAUNTLET WITH " GADLINGS " ON THE KNUCKLES.

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN known engraving

of Albert Diirer, of a

man and

89

woman

supporting a shield on which is a skull (Fig. 42, 2). There are some of these caps in the WafFensammlung, Vienna, which have been noticed in Vol. II of the Zeitschrift fur Historische TVaffenkunde. a

Fig. 42.

The

1.

Padded " harnisch-kappe," Vienna.

2.

Helm

showing- attachment of cap and lining (after Diirer).

original lining of Sir

in situ ; this, however,

the head.

is

In this respect

Henry

Lee's helmet (Plate XIII)

is

still

and follows the shape of from the helmet-cap, which was

riveted to the helmet different

it is

Fig. 43. Sallad-cap (from a picture by-

Paolo

i486-

1

Morando, 522-, No.

Helmet-cap (from a sixteenth-century eng-raving of lacob Fugger).

Fig. 44.

571, Ufflzi, Florence).

A

padded cap was worn independently of the lining of the helmet. These are shown on Figs. 43, 44. Similar caps are shown on the following works of Diirer S. George on foot, S. George (Stephan Baumgartner) and Felix Hungersbourg. padded.

:

12

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

90

1586. Chronicles, Raphael Holinshed

Our armour

difFereth not

1807,

(edit,

II, xvi, 333).

from that of other nations, and therefore

consisteth of corselets, almaine riuets, shirts of maile, iackes quilted and couered ouer with leather, fustian, or canuas, ouer thicke plates

&

of which there of iron that are sowed in the same, or village that hath not hir conuenient furniture.

is

no towne

These defences are of the same nature as the jack shown on Figs. The brigandine was more elaborate and costly, for it was 24, 25. composed of small plates riveted to the foundation and covering of The jack, on fabric and was therefore the work of a skilled artificer. the other hand, was more easily put together and could be done by the wearer himself or by his wife. An interesting example of one of these village armouries mentioned above is to be found at Mendlesham Church, Suffolk, in the strong-room of which are portions of suits and half-suits dating from the late fifteenth to the middle of the seventeenth century. The church also preserves the records of the upkeep of the equipment, one of the last entries being in 161 3, a payment of is. 4d. to an armourer for " varnishinge the town head-piece and the corslitt and for setting on leathers and rivettes." 1

59 1 -5,

Instructions, Observations

and Orders

Militarie, p.

185, Sir

John Smith.

Archers should weare either Ilet holed doublets that will resist the thrust of a sword or a dagger and covered with some trim and gallant kinde of coloured cloth to the liking of the Captain.

or else Iackes of maile quilted

upon

,

,

,

fustian.

the nature of their composition these " eyelet doublets " are rarely to be met with. They were made of twine or thread knitted all

From

The appearance is much the same as modern "tatting" and macrame work. The best-known examples are in the Mus^e Porte de Hal, Brussels (II, 8 1), in the Cluny Museum, and over in eyelets or button-holes.

in the

Musee

d'Artillerie,

G, 210

(Fig. 45).

1662. Decades of Epistles of War, Gervase

Markham.

The

shot should have on his head a good and sufficient Spanish morian well lined in the head with a quilted cap of strong linen

and bound with lined ear

plates.

Markham. should have good comb

1643. Souldier's Accidence, Gervase .

,

,

caps.

the shot

caps well lined with quilted

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN

91

be obvious that the maker of linings and undergarments for the soldier had to be in constant touch with the armourer, for he had It will

to

make

allowances for the style and cut of the armour. In the Wardrobe Accounts of Edward I quoted on page 79 there are entries of payments to Robinet, the King's tailor, for armour, banners.

2

1

Fig. 45. Details of Eyelet Coats. I.

crests, helmets,

At

Mus^e

d'Artillerie, Paris,

and robes

the end of this chapter

for the

G, 210.

King,

2.

Musee de Cluny,

his son,

Paris.

and John of Lancaster. combining of the crafts

we shall notice this when dealing with the

of the armourer and tailor linen armourers. It was obviously important that the tailor should be in touch with th*^ armourer and suit his material and cut to the equipment worn over them. 1591-5. Instructions and Orders Militarie, p. 185, Sir John Smith.

No

armed man should weare any cut doublets,

that the wearing of armour doth quicklie fret

as well in respect

them out and

also

by

reason that the corners and edges of the lames and jointes of the armours doo take such holde uppon such cuttes as they do hinder the quicke and sudden arming of men.

All parts of the suit were lined, for in spite of the padded under-

garment there was bound to be a certain amount of chafing which, if the armour was unlined, would in time rub through the undergarment.

many

of the late sixteenth century, the linings are shown projecting below the edges of the various pieces of The edges of these linings are generally scalloped. the suit. In

portraits, especially those

^ Cousin of Edward VI, and knighted by Elizabeth in His free criticism on military matters led to 1 576. of his " Discourses on the form and effects of divers sorts of weapons," and he was committed suppression the

to the

Tower.

92

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

In the picture by Breughel on the frontispiece a cuisse is shown, immediately beneath the basket of glass bottles in the centre of the picture,

padded lining. In a list of payments for work done to Henry VIII's armour we find " 9 yards of Cheshire cotton at yd. for A similar lining the king's pasguard grandguard great mayn de fer." charge is made in 1 521 for two yards of yellow satin at 7/4 for lining two head-pieces, two pair of tasses, a pasguard, and two maynd fers. In 15 10 we find an entry of payment of 25 fl. 29 kr. to Walter Zeller Frequently of Innsbruck for lining armour with black velvet and silk.^ the padding is shown in miniatures, especially on the inside of shields and bucklers. The Highland targes are generally padded on the inside The with straw to take some of the shock of a blow from the arm. lining of such pieces as the taces and pauldrons was added to prevent the metal over which they worked fi^om being scratched, and also to lessen the metallic noise, which would be a serious factor in night attacks. Horse-armour, of course, needed heavy lining, but little of this remains. An excellent reconstruction of lined horse-armour is to be found on No. 620, Wallace Collection. The stuffing of these padded garments was not always of cotton. In the inventory of the goods of Sir John Falstoffe, 1459 {Archceologia^ XXI), we find " i. jack of black linen stuffed with mail and vi. jacks stuffed with home, xxiiij. cappes stuffed with home and mayle, vj. payre of glovys of mayle of shepys skynne." Under the heading " Gambeson," Du Cange^ states that the gambeson was stuffed with wool soaked with vinegar, to resist iron, and he gives a reference to Pliny, Bk. VIII, c. 48, as bearing on this statement.. This was probably done to keep out vermin, a serious factor when long marches with bad camping arrangements were undertaken. In all the defences which were mainly composed of fabrics, the object seems to have been to provide a substance which would resist cut or thrust and at the same time would offer a certain resiliency to the blow. A practical experiment upon thick leather and upon folded or padded cloth will prove this. Till recent years the Japanese made much of their armour of quilted fabrics, the chief drawback to which was its heat and want of ventilation.

which

clearly has a

1

Jahrhuch des Kuhsthist. Sammlungeti,

II,

995.

^

Johnes'

edit., I, 121.

Man

''

-"^T

ARMS.

M'DDLE OF ^y CENT.

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN

9^

This linen armour or linen and fabric covering for armour was a distinct craft in itself, and was practised by the linen armourers, who had the sole right to cover armour or to make such defences as have been enumerated above. That they were also tailors we know from their subsequent incorporation with the Merchant Tailors and also from the Wardrobe Accounts^ of Edward I, in which Robinet, the King's tailor, is mentioned as making robes and armours and banners. Besides the lining of armour and the provision of padded defences of fabric, there was a large field of employment in the covering of armour. As may be noticed in Appendix A, this covering of helmets seems to have been common in the first years of the fourteenth century. There were three reasons for covering the steel head-piece with fabric. Firstly, as Chaucer writes with regard to the mail hauberk (page 78), to keep it from wet, the enemy of all iron and steel work ; secondly, as Roger Ascham writes of the peacock-wing for arrows, " for gayness " ; and thirdly, to prevent the glitter of metal attracting attention.^ In the Treatise of Johan Hill, written in 1434. (Appendix C, page 173), the covering of the armour, especially for the legs, is ordered to be of scarlet "because his adversarie shall not lightly espye his blode." Helmetbags are mentioned in inventories, etc. In

1578

we

and

"steel

find

covers " noticed in

caps

more than one

in the Lieutenancy

with will,^

Accounts

for

Lancashire, temp. Elizabeth, the archer's dress includes a " scull

and Scottish cap

same" (Fig. 46). Several helmets in the Waffensammlungen at Vienna still show the silk and satin coverings, and in Munich a triplecrowned burgOnet has a black velvet ..'_ 1-11 ml ^ T7 Venetian to cover the

cover.

The

highly

ornate

Sallad with cover, from a sixteenth-century engraving'.

Fig. 46.

^

^

^

covered with crimson velvet, over which is set a gilt open-work decoration of metal, are fairly common in collections (Plate XVI). sallads,

1

Lib. Gardroba,

28 Ed.

I,

modern War Office

2

Vide

3

Arch. Journ.,

1

300.

See. of Antiq.

regulations of the present day as to scabbards of swords, Highland kilts, etc,

LX, " Armour

Notes."

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

94

The

surcoat and tabard hardly

come within

the province of the

They were, armourer, for they were quite distinct from the armour. however, in fashion in various forms till the middle of the reign of Henry VIII, who landed in France, according to Hall, in 15 14 with a garment of " white cloth of gold bearing a red cross." Padded and quilted defences appear to have been worn in the early seventeenth century, for the

Examen writes that " there armour," which in many cases was said to

Hon. Roger North

in his

was great abundance of silk be of pistol proof. Some of these backs, breasts, and taces, wadded with cotton and covered with salmon-coloured silk, are preserved in the Pitt-Rivers

Museum, Oxford.

THE LINEN ARMOURERS As we have seen on page 9 1

,

in the thirteenth

and fourteenth cen-

M. Buttin^ was often also a purveyor of armour. quotes several extracts from documents of the fourteenth century in which different names of craftsmen appear classed as " Brodeurs et Armuriers." It may not be out of place to notice here that the " milliner " of the turies the tailor

present day was originally the Milaner or Milanese pedlar,

who purveyed

armour, weapons, and clothing of all sorts. The Linen Armourers, as they were called, were a gild distinct from the Armourers, for in 1272 they were instituted as " The Fraternity of Tailors and Linen Armourers of Linen Armour of S. John the Baptist in the City of London." Edward III was an honorary member of the gild, and Richard II also became a member when he confirmed their charter. Their first patent of arms was granted by Edward IV in the year 1466, and in this document the society is called " Gilda Armorarii."^ This naturally causes some confusion with the Armourers'

Company, and to.

The

first

or Traveller.

many documents it is uncertain which gild is referred master was Henry de Ryall, who was called the Pilgrim As has been stated above, their first charter was from in

Edward III. Richard II confirmed by " inspeximus " this Henry IV also confirmed the charter, and Henry VI granted search,

which allowed the ^ 2

Le Guet de

gild to inspect shops

charter.

right of

and workshops and

Geneve, Geneva, 19I0. Hist of 12 Li'iery Co.'s of London, Herbert, 1836.

THE USE OF FABRICS AND LINEN work which did not come up to their doubtful whether the document given in Appendix

confiscate any

gild or to that of the Armourers, for

it

contains

standard.

A

95 It is

refers to this

regulations

which

would affect both gilds. It gives details as to that right of search " which was an important part of the duties of the gilds. In the reign of Edward IV the gild was incorporated, and under Henry VII it became the Merchant Tailors' Company, with the charter which is held by that company at the present day. This charter was confirmed] by Henry VIII, Edward VI, Philip and Mary, Elizabeth, and James I. "

THE USE OF LEATHER

FROM

the earliest times leather has been a favourite material for

defensive armour.

The shield of Ajax was fashioned of seven bulls'

King and of the Parliament in the Between these periods leather was Civil War favoured the buff coat. utilized in many ways, and when specially treated was a most serviceable protection which had the merit of being lighter and less costly than metal. The word "cuirass" itself is derived from the body-defence of leather (cuir). The Hon. Robert Curzon, writing in 1869, menhides,

and the

soldiers of the

tions a cuirass of three thicknesses of leather

found in a stone coffin of the thirteenth century {^Arch. yourn,^

Cuirass from sketch " uook of

FiG. 47 tihc

wiiiarsdeHonecourt, thirteenth century,

XXII, p. 6). At a time when the weaving of fabrics was in a more or less primitive state, the skins of beasts were used either as the sole defence of the warrior or were reinforced with plates of metal applied over the most vital parts of the body (Figs. 47, 48). It is always a matter of some difficulty, especially in the earlier examples, to tell what materials are intcudcd in illuminated miniatures, for we find what appears to bc platc armour painted brown or parti^olourcd, and this poiuts to the fact that armour of all

kinds was frequently painted, even chain mail being coloured to suit the taste of the wearer, and also, a more important reason, to preserve it from

wet and

In some representations of scale armour,' the drawing of o the scales, as for example the figure -

rust.

.

given on Plate

I,

2,

of

my

p,^ 48. ,« Fig.

TrTi?"^?''^'^!"^* u Leather Gauntlet, Ashmolean Musem, .

Oxford.

book on Armour and Weapons, suggests

PARADE SHIELD BY DESIDERIUS COLMAN, *

THE DETAIL

IS

GIVEN OK PAGE 135

1504

THE USE OF LEATHER rather than

leather

metal, and

certainly

the

^r

much -debated -upon

banded mail " must have been a mixture of leather and metal. Towards the end of the twelfth century we find the material known " as cuir-bouilli" or " cuerbuUy " mentioned as being used for the armour *'

of

man and

horse.

it

hide of the animal was cut thick, boiled in

oil

moulded to the required shape. When became exceedingly hard and would withstand nearly as much

or in water, and,

cold

The when

soft,

battle- wear as metal.

worked, and also of being much lighter than the metal. For this reason it was used largely for jousts and tourneys, which up to the fifteenth century were more of the nature of mimic fights than was the case at a later date, when the onset was more earnest and the armour was made correspondingly heavy to withstand it. The best leather seems to have come from Spain and especially from Cordova. Among the Ordonnances des rots in the Bib. Nat. Fran9ais (T. II, 357) we find it distinctly stated that Cordova leather was far better than that of France or Flanders. This may have been due to the breed of horses or cattle found there, but it is more likely that the tanners of that town had made a speciality of treating the hides. On the sculptured effigies and monumental brasses of the fourteenth century we find the jambs and poleynes often richly decorated and moulded with more skill than the other parts of the armour,^ and these were probably of cuir-bouilli. The d'Aubernon, Setvans, and Gorleston brasses are good examples of this. Chaucer in his Rime of Sir Thopas mentions jambs of cuir-bouilli as being part of the ordinary equipment of the knight (see page 100). ^^^ ^^^^^ Both King Ren6 and Antoine de la Salle prescribe leather and cord for It

had the advantage of being

easily procured, easily

cuir-bouilli as the material for the brassards used in the

^InST'^Trliu^un

^o^^o^ltourney (Fig. 49), and this fashion seems to have lasted fi*om the last quarter of the thirteenth century, at which date we have cuir-bouilli armour mentioned in the roll of purchases for the tournament 1

The Pembridge

laced on the inside.

13

effigy in

Hereford Cathedral has thigh-pieces which apparently represent leather

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

98

Windsor Park, held by Edward I, down to the last quarter of the Oliver de la Marche, writing at the end of the same fifteenth century. century, describes the armour of Mahiot and Jacotin Plouvier fighting in a duel as being of cuir-bouilli sewn on the body, legs, and arms.^ In his iAdvis de gaige de battaile the same author mentions leather armour

at

" point gentilhomme." As late as the year 1500 cuir-bouilli was much used for horsearmour on account of its lightness. Of this we have two specimens remaining to us in the full suit at Turin (G, 2) and the crupper at the Tower (VI, 89). The horse on Plate XVII is apparently armed with mail which is covered with trappers of leather. The original, which was an ivory chessman in the possession of Rev. Eagles, has disappeared. It was figured by Hewitt in Ancient Armour, Vol. I, and was cast. The photograph given here is from the cast. Among the few specimens of leather armour for the man may be noted a morion in the Zeughaus, Berlin (6o/^), and a pair of seventeenth- century leather " lobster- tail cuisses at Goodrich Court, Herefordshire. The reason for this dearth of examples of leather armour in collections at the present day is twofold. Much of the discarded armour of this nature would be used for various domestic purposes, such as jugs, horse-furniture, and such-like uses, and also much would be thrown away as useless, for leather unless carefully kept and oiled tends to crack and warp out of shape. The above-mentioned bards for horses appear frequently in paintings of the early sixteenth century. The picture of the battle of Pavia in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford,^ shows many of these brilliantly painted with armorial and fancy designs, and the absence of rivet-heads as

being only

fit

for the

man who

is

points to the fact that they are not of metal.

The find

in

d'artisti^

painting of bards seems to have been a distinct trade, for

we

the Statuto de' pittori Fiorentini rubr.

T.

II,

p.

79 {Carteggio ined. 40) regulations forbidding any but the registered

bard-painters to undertake such work.

That cuir-bouilli was not proof against firearms we learn firom Jean de Troyes (page 260), who writes: "Si y eut un cheval tout barde de cuir bouilli qui fut tue d'un coup de coulverine." This refers to 1

Memoirs, Vol.

I,

ch. 33.

^

Arms and Armour

at Oxford, C. fFoulkes.

THE USE OF LEATHER the date 1465,

when

99

firearms were but primitive weapons.

Dressed

however, in the form of the buff coat was used up to the middle of the seventeenth century, when the penetrating power of the bullet was greater. At the same time we should remember, as Marshal Saxe very truly points out in his advocacy of plate armour [Reveries^

leather,

p.

58), that

many wounds

and spent bullet, all some thick material.

time were caused by sword, lance, of which might have been avoided by the use of at this

The Marshal

suggests sheet-iron sewn

upon

a

buff coat, but the buff coat itself, | in. thick, would be a very adequate, though hot and heavy, protection without the addition of metal. The leather guns of Gustavus Adolphus will be found mentioned in the following pages, but these were only covered with leather, presumably to protect them from wet, and were not made entirely of this

We

have no record of cuir-bouilli being employed to make artillery, and of course the chief reason against its use would be the weakness of the seam or join. The only use of leather or cuir-bouilli for defensive armour found at the present day is found in the small bucklers of the hill tribes of material.

These are often so skilfully treated that the leather is transparent and is almost impervious to a sword-cut, forming a very fair defence against the bullet from the primitive flintlocks in use among India.

111

those tribes.

The

leather hat

i"i reinrorced with •

r

11 steel plates

given at Fig. 50 was worn by the regicide Bradshaw at the trial of Charles I.^ ^

Arms and Armour

at Oxford, C. fFoulkes,

^^^- so- .Hat of Bradshaw '•^^ regicide, of leather and steel.

Ashmoiean

mus.,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

100

REFERENCES TO LEATHER AND CUIR-BOUILLI FROM

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTS 1

185.

Chanson d'Antioc he.

Moult

The "

fu riches qu'il

li

a chief

poitrail lui laca qui fu

Son

poitrail " in this extract

mi

de cuir

bolis.

the breastplate of the knight and

is

not of the horse. 1278. Koll of Purchases for the Tournament at Windsor Park.

De Milon

Cuireur xxxviij quiret p'c pec iij s. Itm. ij Crest una galea cor j Blazon j ensis de Balon de Rob'o Brunnler xxxviij galee de cor p'c galee xiv. le

:

&

&

&

This tournament seems to have been more of a pageant than a serious contest

like

those of the fifteenth century.

No

armour of

metal is mentioned among the purchases and the weapons are of whalebone, a material which was used also for gauntlets, as we know from Froissart's^ description of the equipment of the troops of Philip von Whalebone was also Artevelde at the battle of Rosebecque in 1382.

employed for " privy coats " or brigandines, in which it was inserted Buckram is also mentioned as being between the lining and the cover. used for body-armour, which material will be found alluded to in the section devoted to the Linen Armourers. 1345. Les Livres de Comptes des Freres Bonis,

Item deu per un 1

35

1,

brasalot.

.

I.

174, Forestie.

de cuer negre.

.

Ordonnances du roi Jean IV, 69.

Ordenons que

I'arbalestrier

.

sera

.

.

arme de

plates

.

.

.

et

de

harnois de bras de fer et de cuir.

seem to have been common in the fourteenth century ; their popularity being doubtless due to their lightness and cheapness as compared with metal. M. Buttin in his interesting pamphlet Le Guet de Genhve^ gives several extracts from inventories and other documents which bear out this statement. These brassards of

cuir-bouilli

1350. Kime of Sir Thopas, Chaucer.

His jambeux were of curebuUy. 1

Johnes' trans.,

I,

739.

^

Kiindig, Geneva, 1910.

DRAWING BY JACOB

TOPF,

FROM THE "ARMOURERS ALDUM," VICTORIA

lo30-15'.)7

AN'J AI.BIIRT

MUSEUM

ARMOUR OF

SIR

CHRISTOPHER HATTON, BY JACOB TOPF

THE USE OF LEATHER The

skilfully

loi

modelled jambs and poleynes which appear on many

and effigies of the fourteenth century rather suggest that leather was used and not metal, as the rest of the armour does not show such skill of forging. These leg-pieces are nearly always shown as richly engraved, which also points to the suggestion that they were of cuirbouilli, which would be an easier material to decorate with painting or brasses

modelling than metal. 141

1.

Invetitorie de recurie

Une armure 1450.

du

roi,f.

108

vo.

de cuir de Surie pour armer rh'omme et

Traite d'un Tournoi,

le

cheval.

Roi Rene.

En

Brebant, Flandres et Haynault at en ces pays la vers Almaignes mettant unes bracieres grosses de 4 dois d'espez et remplies de cotton sur quoys ils arment les avant bras et les garde-bras de .

.

.

cuir bouilly.

This entry may be compared with that of the Windsor Park Tournament quoted above. King Rene's book has the advantage of being illustrated with drawings of these and all the other details mentioned The brassards shown in the drawing in his regulations for a tourney. have cords fixed lengthways so as to provide an extra protection against the blow of the mace or wooden sword which Rene describes as the Weapons to be used. Brassards of a similar kind are mentioned in Antoine de la Salle's Des anciens tournois et Faictz d''Armes (edit. B. Prost., p. 120). 1

47 1.

Inii.

du Roi Rene a Angers, fo.

3 vo.

Quatre targetes de cuir bouilly a

la

facon de Tunes.

These targets, made after an Oriental model, would probably resemble those which are frequently seen in India and Persia at the present day, in which the leather is hard and often highly polished and decorated with painting and gilding. The Highland targe is fashioned differently, for the foundation is of wood and the skin or hide stretched over it. 1480.

VArtiller

ie

des

Onze gands

Here the "

Dues

de 'Bourogne, Gamier, appendix, p. 230,

et huit brasselets de cuir

pour

archiers.

brasselets " are not arm-defences, but are

simply the "bracer" or arm-guard which protected the wrist of the archer from the string of his

own bow when

released.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

102

O. de la Marche, S'il n'est point gentilhomme il peut combattre selon I'ancienne coustume arme de cuir bouilly.

1493. L'advis de gaige de

battaille,

This evidently refers to the regulations laid down by King Rene in 1450, and suggests that by the end of the fifteenth century they had become obsolete and that full plate armour was the only equipment for the joust or tourney. 1500. Inv. de Francois ler. de Luxembourg, p. Plusiers bardes de

chevaux de cuyr de

6.

cartes

ou

cartons.

The

last-named materials were obviously only employed for parade or masque. They would be early forms of papier-mache, but were probably more like the modern cardboard than the hard papier-mache

now

in use. 1559. Notes sur Dioscoride, II, chap. 21, Matthee. Le cheval marin une beste du Nil [the hippopotamus] de la peau Ton en fait des ecus, animes et rondelles ; aussi n'y ha il armes ny poinctures quelles qu'elles soyent qui la puissent transpercer, si

premierement

elle n'est baigiiee.

This entry shows clearly that even the hide of the hippopotamus was not held to be weapon-proof till it had been soaked (in water or oil). One of these leather bards exists in the Armeria Reale, Turin, B, 2 It is catalogued as being of hippopotamus hide. A crupper of cuirbouilli (VI, 89) is the only specimen of leather armour in the Tower. .

1630

icirc).

Hist, of London, t. 26,

Robert Scot

.

.

.

Pennant (1790).

was the inventor of leather artillery which he army of Gustvus Adolphus.

introduced into the

Gwynne. At Crobredery Bridge (Cropredy) we overtook Waller's army which we engaged and beat, took Wemes General of their army prisoner and withal took his leather guns which provedserviceable to the King.

1644. Military Memoirs of the Great Civil War, p. 42,

These leather guns were formed of a cylinder of copper round which was twisted thick hempen cord and the whole enveloped in a An example which is traditionally stated to be one of leather jacket. Scot's guns used by Gustavus Adolphus, is exhibited in the Rotunda Museum, Woolwich (II, 173). The dolphins on this specimen are fashioned to the letter " G " placed horizontally. There are two similar guns in the Musee d'Artillerie.

THE USE OF LEATHER 1678. Traite des Armes, p. 55,

Quoy que

los

Gay a.

ne soient proprement que les habillemens de pouvons neanmoins les mettre au nombre de leurs armes defFensives, plus qu'ils peuvent aisement resister i I'Epee lors qu'ils sont d'une peau bien choissie. Les Bufles sont faits en forme de Juste-au-corps i quatre les Bufles

Cavaliers, nous

,

.

.

basques qui descend jusqu'aux genoux. II n'y a pas un Cavalier dans les trouppes de France qui habillement de Bufle.

n'ait

un

buff coat of leather or " cuir de boeuf " was a part of the military equipment as early as 1585 and was in common use during the Civil War. It was worn by the Life Guards at the Coronation of James II in 1685 and by a detachment of the Artillery Company at the entry of George I in 17 14. It ceased to be worn as part of the uniform in the following reign/

The

1

591—5.

Instructions, Observations

and Orders

Militarie, p. 185, Sir

John Smith.

halbadiers armed with burganets and with short skirted lerkins of bufFe with a double buffe on their breasts and the sleeves

.

,

.

.

.

.

of their doublets with stripes of maile or serecloth aforesaide.

Here we

find a return to the primitive defence of the eleventh

century, due to the increased weight of armour which was necessary

improved firearms which were by this time a serious factor in war. The serecloth recommended was probably a stout waxed or In recommending sleeves of mail, which are shown on oiled canvas. Plate XVIII, Sir John Smith considers that they are more convenient for

against the

weapon than the more rigid brassards worn by the cavalry. These strips of chain are shown on one of the figures painted by Memling for the " Chasse of S. Ursula " at Bruges, They have been rei486, which is given on Fig. 24 of this work. the handling of the halberdier's

introduced as shoulder-straps for heavy cavalry at the present day. .

^

Cannon, Historical Records of

the Life

Guards, p. 74.

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

THOUGH

perhaps the wearing and putting on of armour was not directly part of the craft of the armourer, it was certainly a part of his duties to be present during the process and be ready to carry out any small alterations which might be needed on the spot. As has been noticed in a preceding chapter, as late as 1625 we Shakespeare find this insisted upon by de Pluvinel (see page 115). describes the armourers as busy "accomplishing the knights" before Agincourt (page 33), and the fact that the travelling knight took his armourer with him shows that he was indispensable during the operation of dressing for war or joust. Armour of the best kind was made to measure, and for ordinary purposes a mould or "dobble" was kept on which to make the ordinary harness for the man-at-arms (page 28). The following extracts show the methods employed for sending measurements, which were often obtained by submitting the clothes of the patron to the armourer :

1406. In the will of Sir Ralph Bulmer, " armatura

mea

corpori talliata."'

1470. Archives de Bruxelles} Baltazar du Cornet, armourer at Bruges, delivers for the of Burgundy "2 cuiraches complettes faites a la mesure de seigneur."

Lazarus de St. Augustin delivers "un harnais complet a la mesure de Monseigneur et pour son corps." 1

5

1

2.

fait

Duke Mon-

naguere

A jacket to

and hose of Prince Charles (afterwards Charles V) are Conrad Seusenhofer.'

1520. Brit. Mus., Galig.

D, Fill,

sent

181.

16 March. Francis I asks for an "arming doublet " of Henry VIII that he may have made a new kind of cuirass which he will send

him 1

as a present.

Arch. Journ.,

LX. ^

^

^irchives de Bruxelles, Cat.

Jahrhuch des

Kunsth'tst.

Sammlungen,

104

Mus. Porte de Hal, 1885.

II, 1 03 2.

—

DRAWING BY

JACOI! TOPF,

1.530-1507

FROM THE "armourer's ALBUM," VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

ARMOUR OF

SIR

JOHN SMITH, BY JACOB TOPF

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

105

1564. S.P.D. Elizabeth, Jan. 30.

Warrant to the Master of the Armoury, To cause to be made one armour complete fit for the body of our well beloved servant Christopher Hatton, one of our Gentlemen Pensioners, he paying according to the just value thereof. 1667. Verney Memoirs, IF, 301.

Edmond Verney. the man did cut away

Rich. Hals to

The armour fits much just under

to well enough only the arme pit both of back and breast, but for the head piece it is something heavy, yet I think it well enough if it did not come downe so low upon my forhead as to cover all my eyes and offend my nose when I put my head backwards to look

upwards.

In the preceding chapter some notice was taken of the part which the Hnen armourer played in the equipment of the armed man, and it was to him that the clothing which was worn under the armour was entrusted. Under the heading of the " Cleaning of Armour " mention has been made of Chaucer's knight

whose "gipoun" was " besmoturyd with his haubergeon," but this garment was an outer garment or surcoat. In the age of plate armour a complete dress was worn for legs, arms, body, Fig. 51- stripping the dead (Bayeux Tapestry), and head to prevent the chafing of the armour, which in spite of its own lining of silk, velvet, cloth, leather, or other fabric would cause grave inconvenience, if not danger to the wearer.

Besides this reason there

was also a question of warmth, which was of importance, for in long marches and expeditions there was no warmth in a suit of plate, in fact there was an added cold which had to be counteracted by warm garments worn underFig. 52. Knight arming (from Ltvre des Nobles iT?7w/w*, Bib. Nat., Paris, fourteenth century).

turies

we have not much

in the

^'^^<*-^^'^-

Jn the eleventh and twelfth CCU-

way of documentary evidence which

will

help us as to the clothes worn under the armour. The Bayeux Tapestry shows us the wounded and dead being stripped of their hauberks, under 14

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

106

which nothing was apparently worn

should be remembered, however, that these hauberks were probably of quilted fabric, which therefore did not gall the body of the wearer. The drawing from a (Fig. 51).

It

fourteenth-century manuscript on Fig. 5 2 gives some hint at the armingdoublet, which will be noted farther on in this chapter, and shows also the laces or points that held up the

Towards the end of the fourteenth century, however, we find on the incised brasses, which are such

hose.

valuable records of the military equipment of the period,

On the brass to very distinct garments represented. Sir John de Creke at Westley Waterless, Cambs, 1325, we

see the "cyclas" or outer surcoat, the

"upper pour-

point," of fabric, studded with metal, " the hauberk,"

and under all the "haketon" or "gambeson" (Fig. 53). According to William de Guilleville, in the Pelerinage de /'t/f/«^, written in the fourteenth century, the "pourpoint" was so called because of its quiltings De pontures de gambison :

Pourquoi pourpoint rappelle-t-on.

The gambeson continued in use up to the seventeenth century under the name of "arming-doublet," with but change except in shape and form, as the style of armour required. Of the undergarments of the early fifteenth century we have little or nothing to guide us, and we are often at a loss to know even what armour was worn under the tight-fitting, small-waisted jupon or surcoat which distinguishcs the end of the fourteenth and thc beginning of the fifteenth century. We have, however, a valuable record under this head in the monument at Ash, which shows "splinted armour" of little

Fig.

53.

Brass of Sir

Westley WaterTess!

Cambs,

1325.

4.

Bascinet. Vervelles and camail. Cyclas or .surcoat. Upper pourpoint.

5. 6.

Gambeson

7.

Poleynes.

8.

Beinbergs or jambs.

z.

2. 3.

Hauberk. or haketon.

lames

worn

The

instead of a cuirass.

illustration

on Plate IV

is

fi-om

a

wood-

carving in the church of S. William, Strasburg. It represents the travelling armourer riveting what appear to be bands of iron on arms Whether these are some contrivance used in arming in the and legs. fifteenth century, or whether they are some instrument of torture used

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR upon the saint, Duke William of Acquitaine, it is impossible as no other instances of the kind can be found. For

io7

to discover,

of the equipment of the latter half of the fifteenth we cannot do better than refer to the Hastings MS. of the fifteenth century, which has been discussed by the late Albert Way,^ and more fully by Viscount Dillon. ^ Under the heading of " The Abilment for the Justes of Pees " we find much that is of value in this respect. On page \22b of the manuscript we find the following minute directions for dressing a man for the joust, which should be compared with those given in Appendix C, page 173. full details

century

How on foote

He

a

man

schall

be armyd

at his ese

when he

schal fighte

:

up on him but a dowbelet of fFustean lyned with satene cutte full of hoolis. the dowbelet must be strongeli boude there the pointis muste be sette aboute the greet [bend] of the arm. and the b ste \jic\ before and behynde and the gussetis of mayle muste be sowid un to the dowbelet in the bought of the arme. and undir the arme the armynge poyntis muste ba made of fyne twyne suche as men make stryngys for crossebowes and they muste be trussid small and poyntid as poyntis. Also they muste be wexid with cordeweneris coode. and than they will neyther recche nor breke Also a payr hosyn of stamyn sengill and a payre of shorte bulwerkis of thynne blanket to put aboute schal have

noo

schirte

Also a payre of shone of thikke Cordwene and they muste be frette with smal whipcorde thre knottis up on a corde and thre cordis muste be faste swoid on to the hele of the shoo and fyne cordis in the my dill of the soole of the same shoo and that ther be betwene the frettis of the hele and the frettis of the mydill of the shoo the space of three his

kneys for chawrfynge of

his lighernes

fvngris.

To arme

a

man

ye muste sette on Sabatones and tye them up on the shoo with smale poyntes that wol breke And then grifTus [greaves] & ffirste

then quisses

& 1

he the breeche of mayle

Arch. Journ., IV.

^

And

the tonletis

Archaohgia, LVII.

And

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

108

he vambras And he rerebras And then glovys And then hange his daggere upon his right side And then his shorte swered upon the lyfte side in a rounde rynge all nakid to pull it oute lightlie. And then putte his cote upon his back And then his basinet pynid up on two greet staplis before the breste with a dowbill bokill behynde up on the bak for to make the bassinet sitte juste. And then his long swerde in his hande. And then his pensil in his hande peyntid of seynt George or of oure lady to blesse him with as he goeth towards the felde and in the the brest

And

felde.

From

be seen that the undergarments consisted of a thick doublet lined with silk, but with no shirt underneath the reason for this being one that we at the present day can well appreciate, for when the body is hot from exertion and exercise a shirt is apt the above extract

it

will

Fig. Fig. 54. Arming-points (from the portrait

of a Navigator, Oxford).

Ashmolean

55.

Attachment

of

brassard by points (from the portrait of the Due de

Mus.,

N e vers, H ampton Court).

" ruck up," and it would be impossible to readjust it when fully In the Paston Letters we have the following request jfrom armed. to

Edward IV Item

I

:

praye you to send

Dekyn, whyche Doublet off it.

ffor a

.

is

me

a

newe vestmente

among myn

other geer,

I

off

will

whyght damaske make an armyng

ARMET ENGRAVED

ARMET, MIDDLE OF XVI CENT.

HELM OF

PARADE CASQUE, AFTER NEGROI.I, MIDDLE OF XVI CENT.

SIR

RICHARD PEMBRIDGE,

CIRC.

AXI> GILT,

END OF

XVI CENT.

1300

SALLAD BY ONE OF THE NEGROLIS, P;ND OF XV CENT.

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR The

109

gussets and, in the sixteenth century, the sleeves

of mail protected the bend of the arm and armpit, and sometimes the bend of the knee, which were not adequately covered with plate. The two portraits of

unknown noblemen by Moroni

(National Gallery) show these details of the equipment very clearly (Plate XVIII).

The

arming-points or " tresses " were used in civilian as well as in military attire and joined the hose to the doublet, laced sleeves, and held coats together, much as laces are used in ladies' dresses at the present day (Fies. \

54— 57j.

ml

Ihey

1

1

11 the hose

^^^- 56-

Moton

at-

tached by points (from Hari. ms.

shown tymg up on "^^^^^^ Fig. 5 2 and the brayette on Plate VIII. Lord Dillon explains the hose of " stamyn sengill " as being a worsted cloth made in Norfolk. The " bulwerkis" are also

were pads of blanketing fastened over the hose at the knees to prevent the chafing of the knee-cop, and the shoes were of Cordova leather fastened with laces. A complete underdress of this kind, with quilted doublet and hose with Fig. 57. Armingpoints on the gussets of mail at the knees, is to be found in the Museum foot (from the at Munich. The arming of a man began at the feet, and picture of S. ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ possiblc cach piccc put on overlapped that Ortorano Na7 beneath it, to ensure that glancing surface upon the utility of which such stress has been laid in the first chapter of this book. The arming of a man, therefore, was carried out in the following order and his equipment put on in the following order Sollerets or sabatons, jambs, knee-cops, cuisses, skirt of mail, gorget, breast and back plates, brassards with elbow-cops, pauldrons, gauntlets, swordbelt, and helmet (Fig. 58). The " tonlet " would appear to be a bell-shaped skirt of plate or deep taces such as is shown on Plate XXI, and is another example of the use of the " glancing surface," especially in combats with axe and Gall.).

:

were often unarmed and were not attacked. The rerebrace, elbow-cop, and vambrace are usually Where joined by rivets in which there is a certain amount of play. this was not the case, each piece was separately strapped to the arm, as may be seen in the brasses of Sir John de Creke, 1325 (Fig. 53), and

sword at

barriers, for in these jousts the legs

110

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

Fig. 58.

Sixteenth-century Suit of Plate.

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

111

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

"^

The Marquis

de Belleval published an interesting monograph on this manuscript in 1866, which is now scarce and difficult to obtain. In the illustration on Plate XVII the squires are shown arming their masters fi-om horseback, which appears to involve some gymnastic exercises.

of the armed man was by no means an artistic licence we may gather from the fact that Froissart^ mentions Sir John Assueton leaping fully armed behind his page on to his war-horse. Again, Shakespeare makes Henry V (Act V, Sc. 2) say, " If I could win a lady at leapfrog or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back," and Oliver de la Marche states that Galliot de Balthasin in 1446 leaped fully armed out of the saddle as though he had on a pourpoint only. That this was no mere figure of speech we may judge from a little book entitled The Vaulting Master^ written by W. Stokes,

That such

agility

an Oxford riding-master, in 1641. In the preface he writes " In war the nimble avoydance of a man's horse if wounded or killed under him, and in like manner the ready ascent into his enemies saddle if it be his hap to unhorse him, and much more which the experienced souldier :

shall find."

Fig. 61.

Armourer in the '''""•'^^

of the work ^""56? cuirassier in half-armour about to vault Stokes occasionally breaks out into into the saddle without stirrups.

There showing a

is

an engraving on Plate

verse as follows

I

:

Here's that will make a stubborne armour weare Gentle as Persian silks and light as air,

which

refers to the ease

of mounting which his prescribed exercises

ensured. the subject of the wearing of armour we have much valuable information from the works of the great military reformer of the six-

On

teenth century. Sir John Smith, who, as has been stated previously, In his Instructions and Obsersuffered imprisonment for his opinions. vations

and Orders

Militaries ^

15

159 1-5, he writes

Johnes' edition,

I,

449.

:

112

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

Attachment of jousting-helms to the

Fig. 59.

cuirass.

bolted to the breast and can be released from the helm by withdrawing the hinge-pin. No. 3 shows the back of the same helm. Fig. 60 is a larger sketch of the fixing-

the lower plate

hook of pillar

this

hinged

cuirass.

B

is

is

helm. at

D

A

is

the back-plate of the helm,

E

the

and hooked into a lug on the back of the

a solid block of steel of circular section pierced

B can be turned with holes and connected to a screw in E. by inserting a pin in the holes and the screw tightened or Minute details as to the fastenings of the helm will loosened. be found in Appendix D, page 178. Fig. 60. It can therefore be easily imagined that the work of arming Side view of attachwas a serious business, and it was necessary that the ment on a man Fig- 59. 3- armourer or an expert assistant should be present in case some portion of the suit or its fastenings gave way. Details of the different parts that went to make up the complete suit, with the thickness of each plate, the laces or points, and various fastenings and methods of attachment, will be found in the fifteenthcentury Treatise on Military Costume of which a portion is given in Appendix D.

ARMOUR OF THE MIDDLE XV

CENT.

ARMOUR OF FRIEDRICH DES SIEGREICHEN, BY TOMASO DA MISSAGLIA,

1460

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

"^

The Marquis

de Belleval published an interesting monograph on this manuscript in 1866, which is now scarce and difficult to obtain. In the illustration on Plate XVII the squires are shown arming their masters from horseback, which appears to involve some gymnastic exercises.

That such

agility

of the armed

man was by no means an

artistic

we may

gather from the fact that Froissart^ mentions Sir John Assueton leaping fully armed behind his page on to his war-horse.

licence

V

(Act V, Sc. 2) say, " If I could win a lady at leapfrog or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back," and Oliver de la Marche states that Galliot de Balthasin in 1446 leaped fully armed out of the saddle as though he had on a pourpoint only. That this was no mere figure of speech we may judge firom a little book entitled The Vaulting Master^ written by W. Stokes,

Again, Shakespeare makes Henry

an Oxford riding-master, in 1641. In the preface he writes " In war the nimble avoydance of a man's horse if wounded or killed under him, and in like manner the ready ascent into his enemies saddle if it be his hap to unhorse him, and much more which the experienced souldier :

shall find.'

Fig. 61.

Armourer "''''"•

in the

'''^•

of the work K^r^Jf cuirassier in half-armour about to vault Stokes occasionally breaks out into into the saddle without stirrups.

There showing a

is

an engraving on Plate

verse as follows

I

:

Here's that will make a stubborne armour weare Gentle as Persian silks and light as air,

which

refers to the ease of

mounting which

his prescribed exercises

ensured. the subject of the wearing of armour we have much valuable information from the works of the great military reformer of the six-

On

teenth century. Sir John Smith, who, as has been stated previously, In his Instructions and Obsersuffered imprisonment for his opinions. vations

and Orders

Militaries ^

15

159 1-5, he writes

Johnes' edition,

I,

449.

:

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

114

"

No man

can be conveniently armed unlesse he be first fitly apparelled." He states that at Tilbury he saw " but very few of that army that had any convenience of apparel and

Page 183.

chieflie of doublets to

arme upon, whereof

it

came

to passe that

armors verie uncomelie and uneasilie. But because the collars of their armours doe beare the chief waight of all the rest of the armour, I would wish that should have under Collars of Fustian convenithe souldiers entlie bombasted to defende the heveth weight, and poise of their armours from the paining or hurting of their shouldiers." On page 193 he writes " Also I would have them to have pouldrons of a good compasse and size, and vambraces both joined together, and not asunder, because that the poise of the pouldrons and vambraces, hanging upon the pinnes and springes of their collars, they doe not weigh so much, nor are not so wearisome as when they are separated ; and that they weare their vambraces tied with points to their doublets under their pouldrons." Here the author, who was pre-eminently a practical soldier, saw the discomfort and inconvenience caused by the drag of the armingpoint on the sleeve and wisely considered that the whole armdefence should hang from a pin or strap from the gorget or cuirass, so that the weight might be on the shoulders and not on the

them did weare

the most of .

their

.

.

.

.

.

:

arms.

The armour

and seventeenth centuries was far too heavy to allow of such vagaries. Pluvinel in his Maneige Royale 1625, gives an imaginary conversation between himself and the King which bears upon the subject for the joust in the sixteenth

^

:

The King. It

seems to

me

that such a

man would

have difficulty in

getting on his horse and being on to help himself. Pluvinel. It

would be very

been provided

for.

but with this armament the case has In this way, at triumphs and tourneys where difficult,

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR lances are broken, there must be at the small scaffold the height of the stirrup,

"^

two ends of the lists a on which two or three

an armourer to arm him, and one other to help him, as it is necessary in these dangerous encounters that an armourer should always be at hand and that all should be ready. Then the rider being armed, and the horse brought near to the stand, he easily mounts him ... for this reason the horses must be steady. persons can stand

that

;

is

to say, the rider,

A little pen-drawing of the sixteenth century in a manuscript dealing with jousts (Heralds' Coll., M, 6, 56) shows the armourer on one of these scaffolds at the end of the lists (Fig. 61). In the chapter on the Proving of Armour the question of disuse on account of weight was considered. From the sixteenth century and even earlier we have records of the discarding of armour because it hampered the wearer or for some equally cogent reason. The following extracts bear upon the subject :

1383. Chroniques de Dugesclin, line 5973

(edit.

1839).

Leurs cuissieres osterent tres tous communement Par coi aler peussent trop plus legierement.

This refers to the action of Sir Hugh Calverly at the battle of Mont Auray, who ordered his men to take off their cuisses in order to move

more

easily.

1590. Discourses, p. 4, Sir John Smith.

But that which

is

more

strange, these our such

new

fantasied

men

of warre doe despise and scorne our auncient arming of ourboth on horseback and on foote saying that wee armed ourselves in times past with too much armour, or peces of yron as they terme it. And therefore their footmen piquers they doo allow for verie well armed when they weare their burganets, their collars, their cuirasses, and their backs, without either pouldrons, vambraces, selves

gauntlets or tasses.

John Smith goes on

was the discarding of his cuisses that cost Sir Philip Sidney his life, for he received a wound from a spent bullet which his armour might have deflected. Sir

to say that

it

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

116 1

619,

The Art of Warre, Edward Davies. [the arquebusiers were loaded] with a heavie shirt of male and a

burganet, by the time they have marched in the heat of summer or deepe of winter ten or twelve English miles they are more apt to rest than readie to fight.

1625. Souldiers' Accidence,

As

Markham.

for the pouldron or the vant-brace they

must be spared because

they are but cumbersome.

Against these extracts we must place the opinions of military leaders who deplored the disuse of armour :

1632. Militarie Instructions for the Cavallrie, Cruso.

Captain Bingham in his Low Countrie exercise appointeth him [the harquebusier] a cuirass pistoU proofe which condemneth the late practice of our trained Harquebusiers to be erroneous which have wholly left off their arms and think themselves safe enough in a calf's skin coat.

1756. Reveries, Marshal Maurice of Saxe, p. 56.

pourquoi on a quitte les Armures, car rien n'est si beau L'on dira peut-etre que c'est I'usage de la poudre mais point du tout car du tems de Henri IV. et qui les a abolis depuis jusq'en I'annee 1667 on en a porter, et il y avoit deja bien mais vous verrez que c'est longtems que la poudre etoit en usage

Je ne ni

si

sais

avantageux. ;

:

la

chere commodite qui

les a fait quitter.

Marshal Saxe further suggests that the large proportion of wounds are received from sword, lance, or spent bullet, and that all these might be guarded against by wearing armour or a buff coat of his own invention which when reinforced with steel plates weighed 30 lb.

THE WEIGHT OF ARMOUR

We

have but few records in contemporary documents of the actual weight of the different parts of the suit of armour, but we can obtain these from examples of the sixteenth century onwards from specimens in the different

museums and

collections.

DESIGNS FOR ARMOUR BY ALBERT DURER,

1517

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

"7

That armour had become burdensome in the extreme owing to the necessity of subjecting it to pistol and musket proof we know from various writers on the subject. La None in his Discours Politiques et Militaires^ translated by " E. A." 1587, writes on page 185 " For where they had some reason in respect of the violence of harquebuzes and dagges [muskets and pistols] to make their armor thicker and of better proofe than before, they have now so farre exceeded, that most of the have laden themselves with stithies [anvils] in view of clothing their bodies with armour neither was their armour so heavie but that they might wel bear it 24 hours, where those that are now worne are so waightie that the peiz [weight] of them vdll benumme a Gentleman's shoulders of 35 yeres :

.

.

.

of age."

On

'

page 196 of

Sir

John Smith's

Instructions^ Observations,

and

Orders Militarie, the author strongly objects to the discarding of the arm and leg defences which was advised by other authorities. He insists that these limbs are as important as the "breste, belly, and backe," and should be adequately protected. His opinions are also held by Marshal Maurice of Saxe in his Reveries, quoted above. Edward Ludlow, at the battle of Edgehill, 1642,^ was dismounted in getting through a hedge, and says " I could not without great difficulty recover on horse-back again being loaded with cuirassiers arms as the rest of the guard were also." It would be superfluous to mention the different occasions on which unhorsed knights were captured or killed through their inability to :

remount that

in battle.

Froissart in describing the battle of Poitiers says

when once dismounted men could not

get up again, and other

historians bear equal witness of the disadvantage of

mounted

;

and the Sieur de Gaya, who has been

armour when un-

so often referred to in

these pages, writing in 1678, says in his Traits des Armes, page 60: " lis n'avoient trop de tort a mon avis d'equiper ainsi leurs chevaux parce

propre a rien quand il est demonte." Although this may be taken as a reason put forward by the writer for more armour for man and horse, it shows at the same time that the fully armed man was considered to be comparatively useless when un-

qu'un Cavalier arme

n'est plus

1

Ludlow's Memoirs, Firth,

I,

44.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

118

horsed, as the Spanish proverb ran

hombre

:

" Muerto

el Cavallo,

perdido

el

d'armas."

may be somewhat

of a surprise to learn that the present-day equipment is but little lighter than that of the fifteenth century. The Under Secretary for War, speaking in the House of Commons on November 28th, 191 1, stated that the infantry soldier marched on an average thirty miles a day during the manoeuvres, carrying 59 lb. 1 1 oz. of equipment and kit. Against this we may place the weight of some suits of foot-soldiers' armour of the sixteenth century, which weigh with the helmet at the outside 25 lb. ; leaving therefore a wide margin for underclothes and weapons. And this comparison of weight carried is even more interesting when considering the cavalry equipment, as will be seen from the annexed table on the opposite page. Of course all these figures represent " dead weight " ; and here we are brought back to one of those fundamental rules of good craftsmanship the recognition of " Convenience in Use." Even in the Golden Age of armour, the fifteenth century, the armourer was hampered by material and by methods of construction which even the most expert craftsman could not overcome; but when we reach the period of decadence in the seventeenth century, the excellence of craftsmanship had deteriorated to an alarming extent and these difficulties were still greater. The secret therefore of the weightcarrying powers of man and horse at the present day is greater convenience in carrying, the scientific distribution of weight, and a more adaptable material, which when taken together give greater fi-eedom and greater mobility, even though the actual weight be the same as the equipment of steel. The following table gives the weights of typical suits fi-om the fifteenth century onwards: It

—

THE WEARING OF ARMOUR

119

ARMOUR FOR THE JOUST XV-XVI.

Helms (English).

lb.

Oxon

Barendyne, Great Haseley, Wallace Collection, No. 78

Westminster Abbey Brocas, Rotunda, Woolwich Dawtrey, Petworth, Sussex Captain Lindsay, Sutton Courtenay, Berks

1518.

Madrid, A, 37

,

Suits.

1520.

1530 1590.

Tower, («rr.).

II,

28, for fighting on foot

Madrid, A, 26

Tower,

II, 9,

{

j;^^;'^^-

man

WAR 1439.

Musee

d'Artillerie, Paris,

1514.

Tower,II,5{,-

1588.

Musee d'Artillerie, G, Tower, II, lo Tower, II, 12 Tower, II, 18

G,

I,

;

1590. 1590. 161 2.

.

80,

man

HARNESS man and horse

THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY OF THE CITY OF LONDON, ARMOURERS' HALL, COLEMAN STREET. E.C.

AT

Company

combined with that of the /-\ Braziers, but this combination only dates from the beginning -^ of the eighteenth century, when it had ceased to deal with the making of armour and was more concerned with other branches of the the present day this

is

^

The objects of the craft-gild of the of the metal-worker. armourers were the same as all those of like nature in the Middle Ages. Members were protected from outside piracy of methods and trade-marks, they were cared for in body when ill or incapable of working, and in soul by masses and religious exercises. An important detail in the organization of these craft-gilds and one sadly lacking in modern trade combinations was the examination and approval of the members' work by the gildmasters. In this way was the craftsman encouraged to produce good work, and also the purchaser was protected against inferior workmanship. reference to the Appendices B, will exemplify this, for in these two instances alone we find that careless work is condemned craft

A

K

by the Company. Arms of the Armourers' of Company of London.

Fig. 62,

Edward

II

it

In the document of the reign is notcd that " old baSCUtC

^^^ f^j^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ COVCrcd by men that nothing understood of ye mystery wh. be put in pry vie places and borne out into ye contrye out of ye said Citye to sell and in ye same citie of wh. men may not gaine knowledge whether they be good or ill of ye wh. thinge greate yill might fall to ye king and his people." Again, under Charles I, in the appeal of the Company to the Crown, leave to use the mark is requested " because divers cutlers, ^^.^1^^^^

120

THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY, LONDON smythes, tynkers

121

&

other botchers of arms by their unskillflilness have utterly spoiled many armes, armours, &c."

The Company

seems to have existed during the reign of Edward II, but was not then incorporated, and with the exception of the document transcribed in Appendix A, there is but little evidence of their existence before the date of 31st Henry VI, in which year a Charter of Incorporation was granted. This deals mostly with questions relating to rehgious observances, the gild-chapel and like matters.

A

report

the Court of Aldermen, dated 20th Eliz. (1578), as to right of search for armour, etc., states that " the Armourers did shewe us that

to

in

Kinge Edward the Second

his time, the

Lord Maior and

his bretheren

did then graunte the serche unto the Armourers." As has been noticed before, the fact that armour plates were expensive

and

difficult to forge will

account for the scarcity of examples of

the defensive equipment up to the sixteenth century.

Either the suit

having been cast aside, it was utilized by the common soldier as well as might be. It was only when the age of the firearm was reached that armour was left in its perfect state and was not improved upon. We have therefore but little to show whether the English armourers of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were more or less expert than their foreign rivals, but, from other examples of metal-work that remain to us, we are forced to the conclusion that the foreigner was our superior. At the same time we find on more than one occasion that the English armourer claims to equal his foreign rival ; but whether these claims were ever proved we are unable to decide without actual examples of the craft work or documentary evidence. In Appendix J is printed an appeal fi-om Capt. John Martin in 1624 for leave to import German "platers" to teach English armourers, with the hope that this will establish a home trade and will stop the import of foreign work. At the same time the very fact of this request shows that the craft in England in the reign of James I was not in a very flourishing condition. On the other hand, in 1590 the Armourers of London petitioned Queen Elizabeth to purchase only home products, because they can fiirnish her vdth " farre better armors than that wch

was remade

or,

cometh from beyond the seas." In the year 1580 the Armourers' Company endeavoured 16

to obtain

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

122

an Act of Parliament to protect and encourage the craft of the Armourer, but with no result owing to the opposition of other Companies. In the minutes of the Company detailing this effort occurs the following passage, which is of interest as bearing upon the skill of "It was the Master's chance to speak English workmen at that date with Sir Walter's^ honor again. Dr. Doull, one of the Masters of Requests, being with him, praying him to have the Armourers' Bill in remembrance. What,' said Mr. Doctor, ' there is none of your Company that can make an :

'

armor.'

'

Yes,

sir,'

said

the

Master, *that there

is

good workmen, and

skilful as

needeth to

be.'

that,' saith he,

'

'

me

not will hould

Tell

for I

verily

you a hundred pounds that there is none in England that can "trampe" an armor for " the Cappe to the Soul of the foot." I will lay with your worship afore Sir Walter's honor if you will give me leave that we have in England that shall work with any in the world from the toe to the crown of the head from loo to looo ; and then he made as though he would have laid it. No,' '

'

'

*

Design on manifer of suit made for Henry, Prince of Wales, by Pickering-, circ. 161 1. Windsor Castle.

Fig. 63.

Half-size (from a rubbing).

Walter, 'ye shall not lay, for he will win of you, for know of the workmanship myself. " saith Sir

they have very good workmen, and I This skill in craftsmanship was doubtless attained under the tutelage of the Almaine armourers that have been referred to before who were brought over by Henry VIII to Greenwich. As an example of this we

may

notice the

work of ^

^

Pickering,^ to

whom

is

attributed the suit

Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer. William Pickering was Master of the Company 1608-9.

Sir

made

THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY, LONDON Henry, Prince of Wales, now

123

which bears a strong resemblance to the work of Jacob Topf, who was Master Armourer at Greenwich in 1590 (Fig. 63). In 1595 a Court of the Armourers' Company was held to examine targets and other pieces of armour, and the decision arrived at was that it was "not of the proportion that cometh from beyond the seas, the Breast and Back Plates were too short and too narrow everywhere." Again in the year 1620 at a Court it was certified that a Sussex smith "did alter old Armour, persuading the Countrey that they were workmanly done, which notwithstanding were utterly unserviceable." This matter was reported to the Justices at Guildford to be dealt with by them. From these entries it will be seen that the control of the Company was very real and that in the main the English craftsman was of not much account until he had learned his trade from foreign experts. It was doubtless due to the instruction given by the foreigner that the Company possessed skilled hammermen. Under Elizabeth in i 560 these hammermen were employed to assist in the process of coin-striking and were sent, two to the Clothworkers' Hall, two to the Sessions Hall, Southwark, and two to the Merchant Taylors' Hall, to strike and stamp "with portcullis and greyhound the several pieces of money called Testons,' there to continue until the end of fourteen days from the

for

at

Windsor

Castle,

*

date of precept."^

Many

of the foreign immigrants took out letters of naturalization and became members of the Company, but none of these seem to have

been craftsmen of note, for the expert workmen were generally recalled to the German Court after some time, where there was a wider scope and, possibly, higher remuneration for their services. The Company, like other Corporations, suffered severely during the Religious observances were so much a part of the gild Reformation. life that the members soon fell under suspicion as practising superstitious rites. Heavy fines were enacted, and it was only by the generosity of John Richmond, a member of the Company, who bought part of the corporate property of the Farringdon estate for jTi 20 and left it back to the Company in his will, that the fine was paid. ^ In September, 1575, " Hopkins, a maker of coining irons and great iron pieces." State Papers, sub ann.

—

in the

Mint, has also been making calivers

124

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT whom

Tipper and Dawe were the chief, levied blackmail on the Company up to the end of the reign of Elizabeth, and continued to suggest that superstitious practices were indulged in till their demands were met at heavy expense. The Armourers had, in 1 5 1 5, absorbed the whole craft of the Bladesmiths, which seems to have caused much friction with the Cutlers. The books of the Company are full of appeals and negotiations before the Court of Aldermen on the question of search for unlicensed craftsmen and faulty goods, which was one of the important duties of the Company. These were finally arranged by a joint search being made by the two Companies. The Company was fi"om the beginning dedicated to S. George, who was the patron of armourers all over Europe. His statue by Donatello, formerly outside the gild-church of Or San The figure of S. George appears Michele in Florence, is well known. on the charter granted by Henry VI in 1453, and also upon the matrix The registered mark of the Comof a seal of about the same date. pany was " A," surmounted by a crown, and this was ordered to be stamped upon all weapons, armours, and guns supplied by the Company when tested and approved. There are many interesting details dealing with the apprentices of the Company which, although they do not bear directly upon the craft of the armourer, are nevertheless worth recording as typical of the craft laws and regulations as practised in England. In most craft-gilds it was considered sufficient for an apprentice to serve for seven years before he was free of the gild ; but in the Armourers' Company we frequently find entries of apprentice bonds for nine years, and in some instances ten and fourteen. There are records of misbehaviour of one of the apprentices, who is ordered " honest Informers, of

correction as that a Servant shall be used."

This correction was sometimes administered in the Hall before the Gild-Court, and is described as being " indifi^erently well " carried out. The case of the Sussex smith who produced unworkmanly armour has been referred to above. In a letter fi-om the Lord

Mayor

are not to use " swearing

in

1560 we read

that the apprentices

and blaspheming, haunting evil women or Schools of Fence, Dancing, Carding, Dicing, Bowling, Tennis play, using of Ruffs in their shirts. Tavern haunting or Banqueting, and if any

THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY, LONDON be found faulty in your Hall in the charge that the said Apprentices to wear here expressed, that shall

125

the same be forwith punished by whipping openly

and ye shall give in Masters shall not permit nor suffer any of their in their hosen any cloth of other colours than are is to say. White, Russet, Blue, Watchet, and the said Hosen to be made without great Breeches in most plain manner without stitching of Silk or any mannar of Cuts." The most valuable of the possessions of the Armourers' Company from the technical point of view is the suit of armour made by Jacobe, who is now considered to be the same as Jacob Topf, an Innsbruck craftsman who was Master Armourer at Greenwich in 1590. The design for this suit appears in the Almain Armourer s Alburn^ which is noticed under the heading of German Armourers. There is also a " locking-gauntlet," which is sometimes erroneously called the " forsight of other Apprentices,

bidden gauntlet," by the same craftsman (Fig. 32). The Company at one time possessed a model suit of armour made in 1567 by John Kelk, a naturalized German member, which, when completed, was brought into the Hall with much ceremony and laid upon the high table. It was intended to be a pattern of the armour made by the Company. There are various entries in the Company's Records of payments for repairing and keeping up this " Mannakine," It has since disappeared ; but Hewitt, the noted as it was called. authority on medieval armour, seemed to think that it was in the

Tower

in

1855

(II, 52).

LISTS

THE

OF EUROPEAN ARMOURERS

following short notices give what details are

of the more important armourers.

only

known by

their works,

In

and no

many

known of some

instances they are

details are

forthcoming

about their private or professional lives. The dates given are those of the earliest and latest mention of the individual in contemporary chronicles.

ENGLAND (k.a., q.a. = king's

or queen's armourer)

Albert, Hans.

1515. K.A. and Armourers' Co. Ashton, John. 1633. Aynesley, Edward. K.A. and Armourers' Co. 1633. Baker, Thomas.^ Armourers' Co. 1547Basyn, John.

1524-44.

(Naturalized Norman.)

Bawdesonne, Alen. 1547Blewbery, John. 1511-16.

Boreman, W., armourer

King's Armourer, Westminster.

(Yeoman of the Armoury

also called Alias

Hynde.

1599—1609.

at

Greenwich, (Appointed

Greenwich, 1599. Will dated 1645.) Brande, RaufFe.^ 1520. Milanese, King's Armourer. Baltesar Bullato. 1532. Carter, William. Ludlow. 1534Clere, Hans. K.A., Greenwich. 1530. Clynkerdager, Hans. K.A., Greenwich. 1542-4. Clynkerdager, John. 1525. London. Copeland. 1529. Keeper of the King's Brigandines. Cooper, John. 1627-9. K.A., Greenwich. Cowper, Thomas. 1559. K.A. and Armourers' Co. Coxe, Wm. 1633. Croche, Francis. 1528-9. K.A., Greenwich. 1

2

at

At funeral of Henry VIII. Sent to Flanders in this year to provide armour, 126

etc., for

the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

LISTS OF Crochet, John.

EUROPEAN ARMOURERS

127

1515-20.

K. A., Greenwich. Crompton, John. Southwark. 1544. Crouche, Wm. ^^-A. and Armourers' Co. 1633. Cutler, Richard.^ 1520. Dael, Thomas. K.A., Greenwich. 1515* Daniele, Edmond.^ i547' Daniele, John.^ i547« Darwin, WiUiam. 161 3. Yeoman of the Armoury Dawson. K. A., Greenwich. 15 15.

at

Greenwich.

Dedikes, Dirike. Yeoman of the Armoury at Greenwich. 1530. Dericke or Diricke, Mathew. K. A., Greenwich. 1559-74. Dericke or Diricke, Robert. 1524. Diconson, John. K. A., Greenwich. 1528. Faulkenor, Roger.'' 1625-31. Fevers, Peter. K.A., Greenwich. 1512-18. Foster, Rowland. K.A. and Armourers' Co. 1633. Franklin, John. K.A. and Armourers' Co. 1633. Fuller, James. Yeoman of the Armoury, Greenwich. 1559. Q. A., Greenwich. Garret, John. 1 559-1601 (date of will). Brigandarius. Gurre, Wm. 151 1-38. Q. A., Greenwich. Haider, Jacob. 1574Halore (?), Jacob. 1559. Q. A., Greenwich. (Possibly the same as Haider.) London. Harford, Richard. 1590. Q'A., Greenwich. Herste, Martyn. 1574. Hill, Johan. Armourer to Henry VI. See page 173. 1434.

Geofrey 1 5 1 6- 1 8 Hotton, Richard. 1592. Westminster. Hunter, Hans.^ I547Master Armourer, Greenwich. 1530-90. Jacobi or Jacobe.* Kelte, John. 1559-74. Q. A., Greenwich. Kemp, Jasper. 1 544. K.A., Greenwich. Q.A., Greenwich. Keymer, Roger. 1571. Master Armourer at Greenwich. Kirke, John. 1577.

Home,

^

2

* *

.

Sent to Flanders in this year to provide armour, etc., for the Field of the Cloth of Gold. At funeral of Henry VIII. Made sundry petitions for inquiry as to the state of the Armouries, S.P.D. Car. I, xiii, 96, Now considered to be the same as Topf. Only mention as armourer in England, 1590.

etc.

128

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

Kirkener, Erasmus or Asamus.

1519—93.

Brigandarius,

1538

;

Chief

Armourer, 1544. K.A., Greenwich. Kornelys. 1515Lasy, John. Nottingham. 1533. Lincoln, Thomas. 1604-8. Yeoman of the Armoury at Greenwich. Mare de la, WilL K.A., 1672. K.A. and Armourers' Co. Marshall, Nicholas. 1533. Martyn, " Old." K. A., Greenwich. 1544. Mightner, Hans. 1559-74. Q.A., Greenwich. Oliver, Jermyn. 1514—44. (Naturalized Norman.) Pellande, Richard.

1520.

Pellysonne, Frances.

1524-44.

"from

(Naturalized

the domains of

the Emperor.")

Pickering, William.

1591— 1630.

Master Armourer

at

Greenwich,

1604-14. Q.A., Greenwich. (Naturalized Gascon.) Pitwell, Giles. 1516-44. Polston, John. K. A., Greenwich. 1552. Pounde, John de. 1520. Poyes, Francis. (Naturalized Norman.) 1525—44. Purday, John. 1562. Pipe, Nighel.

1559.

Sewell, John. 1 5 90- 1 Sherman, Nicolas. 1629. Spirarde, Carries or Tarys.

Chief Armourer at Greenwich. Q.A., Greenwich. 1574.

Spyltherup or Speldrup, Francis.^ 1532Stephens, Thos. 1626. K.A. and Armourers' Co. K. A., Greenwich. Stile, John.^ 1524. Sword-smith, Hounslow. Stone, Benjamin. 1636. Gilder and Graver, Greenwich. Ureland, Peter van. 1515.

Watt Copyn Jacob

de.

1512-26.

K. A., Greenwich.

1628. Whetstone. Master Armourer. White, Thomas. 14 16. Wolf, John. 1538-42. K. A., Greenwich. Wollwarde, Thomas. 1530-41. K.A., (Greenwich. Woode, Richard. 1590. London. ^

Appropriated gold intended to gild armour, also clipped money.

^

Died by burning

in this year.

LISTS OF

EUROPEAN ARMOURERS

129

GERMAN ARMOURERS Aldegraver, Heinrich. 1502-58. Brabenter, Wilhelm, Solingen. Sixteenth century.

Colman, Coloman.

1470-15 32.

Mark No.

Augsburg.

40.

See

page 133Colman (Helmschmied), Desiderius. Mark No. 40. See 1552. page 134. Colman (Helmschmied) , Lorenz. 1 490- 1 5 1 6 Mark Nos. 2,23,41. See page 133. Frauenpreis, Matthaias. Mark No. 38. See page 135. 1549. Frauenpreis, Matthaias, the younger. See page 135. Grofsschedl, Franz. Landshut. 1568. Mark No. 39. Griinewald, Hans. Nuremberg. 1503. Mark No. 54. Seepage 135. Seepage 136. Hopfer, Daniel. 1566. 1650-9. Jovingk, Jakob. Dresden. Knopf, Heinrich. 1604. Lochner, Conrad. Nuremberg. 1567. Mark No. 46. Seepage 136. Mark No. 47. Gratz. Obresch, Heinrich. 1590. Augsburg. PefFenhauser, Anton. 1566-94. Mark No. 48. Mark No. 49. Nuremberg. 1560. Ringler, Hans. Rockenberger or Rosenberger, Hans. 1543-70. Dresden. Rockenburger, Sigmund. 1554-72. Mark No. 79. Mark No. 6. Nuremberg. Rotschmied. 1597. Innsbruck. Mark No. 7. See 1502-18. Seusenhofer, Conrad. page 141. Innsbruck. Mark No. 8. Seepage 141. 1558. Seusenhofer, jorg. Augsburg. Seusenhofer, Wilhelm. 1547. Nuremberg. Mark Nos. 20, 74. Siebenburger, Valentine. 1547. Mark No. 76. Sigman, George. 1560. Mark No. 60. Dresden. 1560. Speyer, Peter. Dresden. 1580. Speyer, Wolf. See page 143. Innsbruck. Topf, Jacob. 1530-90. Innsbruck. 1469-15 17. Mark No. 15. Treytz, Adrian. .

Nuremberg.

Veit. 17

Sixteenth century.

Mark No.

16.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

130

Wolf, Sigismond.

Worms, Wilhelm

Landshut. (father

and

1554.

son).

Nuremberg.

1539.

Mark No.

17.

FRANCE Petit,

M.

Seventeenth century.

Mark No.

83.

NETHERLANDS Merate, Gabriel and Francesco. Arbois. 1 49 5 Mark Nos. 18,51,53. See page 136. Voys, Jacques. Brussels. Fifteenth to sixteenth century, Mark .

No. 56.

ITALY Campi, Bartolomeo.

See page 132. 1573. Camelio, Victor. Brescia. Seepage 131. 1500. Cantoni, Bernardino. Milan. 1500. See page 133. Chiesa, Pompeo della. Milan. 1590. Missaglia, Antonio. Mark Nos. 24, 25, 26. See page 138. 1492. Missaglia, Petrajolo. Milan. Mark Nos. 27, 78. 1390. Missaglia, Tomaso. Milan. 1468. Mark Nos. 27, 78. Seepage 137. Mola, Gesparo. Rome. 1640. Seepage 139. Negroli, Philip and Jacopo. Milan. 1530-90. Mark Nos. 42, 43, See page 140. 44. Piccinino, Lucio. Milan. 1550—70. See page 140. Milan.

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF NOTABLE ARMOURERS This celebrated engraver was the son of Hans Burgmair or Burgkmair. There is some confusion between the father and son, but the former seems to have worked either as a maker or a decorator of armour. The family were neighbours of the famous Colmans, the armourers, who lived in the Lange Schmiede gasse, while the Burgmairs had a house close by in Mauerburg. In 1526 Coloman Colman left his house to live with Hans Burgmair the elder, while Hans the younger took Colman's house. The two families seem to have been on most intimate terms. S. Quirin. Leitner considered that the bard of A, 149, Madrid, which represents the labours of Hercules and Samson, was designed by Burgmair, and Wendelin Boeheim ^ also inclined to this view. His principal works were the Triumph of Maximilian and the illustrations of the Weisz Kunig^ both of which show such endless varieties of armour and weapons that we cannot but feel that the artist must have had a very practical knowledge of the craft of the armourer. Hans Burgmair,

Augsburg, 1473-153 1.

It

would enlarge the present work beyond

made of all

its

original scope if

men-

who

designed armour and weapons, for in all ages the painter and sculptor have been employed in this direction. It will be sufficient to note that designs of this nature are to be found in the sketch-books of Donatello, Giulio Romano, Holbein, Leonardo tion were

the

artists

Reproductions of two da Vinci, Benvenuto Cellini, and Albert Diirer. drawings by the latter are given on Plate XXXI.

Camelio was born either at Venice or VinVenice, circ. 1450-1509. cenza. He was a fine engraver and medallist, and is considered by Nagler to have invented the process of striking coins and medals fi-om steel dies. He was especially He was granted a patent noted for light steel armour of high temper. Vittore Camelio,

1

Meister der WafFenschmiedkunst.

131

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

132

or concession for the sole working of his invention by the Senate of

Venice from 1509

for five years.

Campi was born at Pesaro, but

Bartolomeo Campi,

the exact date

unknown. He was a goldsmith, and engraver and maker of arms and armour of such merit that they elicited the highest praise from Pedro Aretino About this in his letters from Venice to Bartolomeo Egnazio in 1545. date he made a magnificent pageant suit of pseudo-Roman armour for Pesaro, Venice, Paris, 1573.

Guidobaldo cuirass

is

II,

is

who presented it to modelled on the human torse and

Duke

superbly

of his birth

of Urbino,

The

Charles V. is

a Medusa's head and bands of gold with silver flowers.

decorated with

The

shoulder-

form of masks with golden eyes, and the lambrequins hanging from the cuirass end in medallions and masks. The helmet is decorated with a crown of golden leaves. On the cuirass " BARTOLOMEVS CAMPI AVRIFEX TOTIVS is the inscription pieces are of blackened steel in the

:

OPERIS ARTIFEX QVOD ANNO INTEGRO INDIGEBAT PRINCIPIS SVI NVTVI OBTEMPERANS GEMINATO PERFECIT." not an exaggeration, it is little short of miraculous that this suit should have been made in one year. It is now at Madrid In 1547 Campi directed the fetes held in honour of the (A, 188). marriage of Guidobaldo II and Vittoria Farnese at Pesaro. He was military engineer to the Republic of Siena, to that of Venice, and to the King of France between the years 1554 and 1 560. He assisted the Due de Guise at the siege of Calais in 1562, and in 1568 served with the Duke of Alba in Flanders, where he was given a commission as chief engineer of fortifications at a salary of 500 escudi. The Duke, " I tell your Majesty that writing to the King on June 3, 1569, says If this inscription

is

:

you have a good man in Captain B. Campi, because in truth he is a soldier and has art, although not so well founded as Pachote and he is the best man I have met with since I have known men I do not say only engineers, but men of any sort very happy and steady in his Campi was killed by an arquebus shot at the siege of Haarlem work." on March 7th, 1573, to the great grief of the Duke and the whole His brother was an armourer about 1555, but we have no army. .

—

records of his work.

The

—

.

.

magnificent specimen of Bartolomeo's work

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES at

Madrid

is

come down

the only example of his craft as an armourer that has

to us (Plate XIV).

But mation

Jacopo and Bernardino Cantoni,

Milan, 1477-1500.

family.

i33

little is

respecting

They worked

definite infor-

to

be

the

obtained

Cantoni

Galeazzo Maria Sforza and other princes, and are mentioned as " magistri armorum" in the gild-records of Milan. Bernardino worked for the Emperor Maximilian I and produced the brigandine (Madrid, C, 11) which bears his signature (Fig. 64). This is the only work which can be directly ascribed to this family. for

This

Lorenz Colman, Augsburg, d. 1 516.

MarkNos.

known

armourer

is

as

\ ^

also

Colman Helmschmied. Little is known of

23, 41.

T

^'^„

^^rgnltcTt

Madrid.

one of his ancestors was living in Augsburg in 1377. His father George was also an armourer who worked in Augsburg in the Harbruc and in the Luginsland, craft-streets of that city. He died in 1479. The name of his son Lorenz first appears in the civic records in 1467, and his work must have soon attracted attention, for in 1477 we find him making armour for Maximilian I and obtaining the fireedom of the city. In 1491 he was created Hof Platner to the Emperor and established himself in a house in Innsbruck. From commissions entrusted to him for buying metal in 1498 he appears to have been still at Innsbruck, and in 1506 the records of Mantua show that he was making armour for that court. After this he seems to have been employed entirely by Maximilian, and in 1508 he received a large contract for armour for his army. His work is marked with a helm surmounted by a cross, and always bears in addition the pine, the Augsburg city stamp. Armour from his hand is to be found at Madrid, A, 44, and Vienna, 62, 1005, 10 16, 1023. his history except

that

Col Oman was the son of Lorenz, and with the rest of his family took the craft-name of HelmMark No. 40. schmied, a fact which makes investigations of records, documents, etc., of some difficulty. This is especially the case Coloman Colman, Augsburg, 1 476-1 532.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

134

with Coloman, whose name is spelt sometimes with a "C" and sometimes with a "K." The first mention of Coloman in civic documents is in 1507. In 1 5 12 we find him working for Charles V, and shortly after he entered the service of Maximilian I. In 1516 a silver suit of armour (steel plated with silver) was ordered from him by Maximilian, but in 1 5 19 this suit seems still to have been unfinished, probably owing to lack of payments, a reason which was and is always being advanced by crajftsmen of all kinds for work delayed at this period. He employed the two Burgmairs, father and son, to decorate his

armour.

Although Charles V frequently urged him to come to Spain, his numerous commissions at home prevented him. He seems to have " been prosperous in 1 525, for he bought the Schmied haus in the Karoline strasse" from the widow of Thomas Burgmair. Two portrait medals were struck for him in 1518, 1532. His clientele extended to Italy, and in 1 5 1 1 he wrote a letter to the Marchesa Francesco di Mantua describing a project for completely arming a horse with laminated and jointed defences of plate covering head, body, and legs. A picture in the Zeughaus at Vienna shows Harnischmeister Albrecht riding a horse armed in this fashion, and a portion of the leg-piece of such a suit is preserved in the

Musee Porte de Hal,

The

Brussels (see page 9).

following works bear

Coloman Colman's mark

or are

known

documentary evidence to be from his hand Vienna, 175. Wallace Collection, 402. Madrid, A, 19 ; A, 37—42 ; A, 59 ; A, 93-107 (Tonlet suit "The Chase"); A, 108-11 ; E, 57 E, 59. Dresden, G, 15. fi"om

:

;

Desiderius was the son of

Desiderius Colman,

Augsburg, f/rf. 1532. Marks, the same as No. 40.

Coloman Colman.

532 he took over the workshops in the Mauerburg at Augsburg, which his fether had shared with the Burgmair family. He worked at first with the armourer Lutzenberger,

In

1

who

married the stepmother of Desiderius in 1545. In 1550 he became a member of the City Council, and in 1556 he was made Court Armourer to Charles V. This title was afterwards confirmed by Maximilian II. Desiderius seems to have used the same

mark

as

his father,

craftsmen.

The

some confusion between the two be by him are at Madrid, A, 157, 158,

hence there

suits

known

to

is

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES 239, 142

—

made

suit

the

splendid

for Philip II,

135

parade

which

is

signed and dated 1550, and the richly embossed and chased round shield

A, 24 1 which

also signed

is

,

and dated 15 April, 1552. It is upon this shield that he recorded with the Negrolis (Plate Fig. 65, also page 16).

his rivalry

XXIV,

The

Matthaias Frauenpreis,

Augsburg. Father, 1529-49. Son, 1 530-1604. Mark No. 38.

The

Detail of Shield by Desiderius (Plate XXIV).

Colman

elder Frauenpreis or Frauenbreis was a

Colman family (q.v.), and in 1 529 married the widow of a helm-smith. He is first heard of as an independent workman in 1530. ascribed to him or his son pupil of the

following works are Madrid.

Fig. 65.

A

A, 198.

brassard forming part of the suit

A, 190, made by

Desiderius Colman.

D, 68. A shield signed with his name on which the figure of Fortuna is ascribed to Hans Burgmair,

M, Vienna.

A

small shield

G,

A

white and gold

Hans

stamp No. 38.

his

suit

bearing the

mark No.

A

fine suit of Kurfiirst Moritz, bearing the 39. Illustrated on Plate VII.

Hans Grunewalt, Nuremberg, 1440-1503. Mark No. 54. death,

marked with

950. Field suit of Archduke Maximilian. 397.

Dresden.

6.

built a large

His grandfather was a

mark No.

38.

bell -founder of Nurem-

who made

the bells for the church of Sebald in 1396. In 1465, after his father's

berg, s.

38.

house and workshop,

after

much

litigation

with

In 1480 he owned many houses in Nuremberg, and built the " Pilatus " house near the Thiergartner-Thor, close to the house of Albert Diirer. He worked for the the city over his glazing or polishing mills.

Emperor Maximilian

and was the most serious rival of the Missaglia family of Milan, who at this time were the most celebrated armourers The mark No. 54 is ascribed by Boeheim to Grunewalt. of Europe. Works bearing this mark are to be found in the WafFensammlung, Vienna, 66, 995-

I,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

136

Hopfer was in the first instance a painter, a Augsburg, cirr. 495-1 566. designer and maker of stained glass, and an engraver. He settled in Augsburg in 1495. According to Heller he died in 1549, but this is not borne out by the entries in the account books of Maximilian II, who employed him and In the Hofzahlantsbuch, under the date 1566, it is stated his brother. that Daniel and his brother George, both of Augsburg, were ordered by Maximilian II to make no new helmets for the Trabantengarde Four were made in March as and to decorate them with engraving. samples, and the remainder were to be delivered in July at a cost of 397 gulden 42 kreutzer. Much of the work of the brothers Hopfer consisted in decorating armour made by other masters, of whom Coloman Colman was the chief In Madrid are several examples of the work of Daniel: A, 26 and 65 are horse-armours which are decorated in Hopfer's style, and A, 27, 57 are jousting-shields which are certainly from his hand ; the latter is signed and dated 1536. Danie/ Hopfer, 1

Coftrac/ Lochner,

Nuremberg, 1510-67. Mark No. 46.

In

544 Conrad, or Kuntz as he is sometimes

1

was Hofplatner to Maximilian II with ^ retaining fee of 14 florins 10 kronen, and in He must have given 1 547 Maximilian gave him a settled yearly pension. up his appointment in 1 5 5 1 for we find Hans Siefert Court Armourer in this year. He was born at Nuremberg in 1 5 1 o, where his father followed the trade of an armourer, and had two brothers who worked with him, but the names of the Lochners do not often appear in the royal accounts. Like most of his craft, he was frequently in money difficulties, and had great trouble in collecting his debts h:om the King of Poland. His works are found at Berlin, 116, a horse-armour; Paris, G, 166, 182, 565, 566 ; Madrid, A, 243 ; Dresden, E, 5 and G, 165 ; Vienna, 334. He frequently used tritons and sea-monsters as a motif for his decorations. called,

,

and Francesco Merate, Milan and Arbois,

Gabrielle

ctrc.

1494-1529.

Marks, possibly to set

up a

^j^^ r

1

^^^^ obtained a contract for three years, !-•

i_

1

-J

r

j

^^1^^ ^^^7 received 1000 fi-ancs and 1000 gulden, under which they pledged themselves workshops, and mill at Arbois, in Burgundy, Gabrielle

18, 51, 53.

forge,

494 the Merate brothers were sent for by Maximilian I and did work for him personally. In

^^^

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES was

also to receive

loo

isz

and to be free of taxes, an advantage frequently granted to master-armourers. For this he had to deliver annually fifty suits stamped vs^ith his mark, each suit costing 40 francs, and one hundred helmets at 10 francs each, one hundred pair of grandgardes at 5 francs, and one hundred pair of garde-bras at 40 francs the pair. The enumeration of the last two items in pairs is unusual, as they were defences only worn on the left shoulder and arm and would not be sold in pairs. At the same time we should remember that the terms used for different portions of the suit are often confiised, and a word which now has a certain definite meaning in collections was often used in a totally different sense. The Merates were bound by this contract to work only for the Emperor. Their stamp is generally supposed to be a crown and the word " Arbois," but it is uncertain as to what actual specimens now in existence are by their hands. Possibly the " Burgundian Bard " (II, 3) in the Tower was made by them. It bears a crescent and the letter *'M," and is decorated with the cross ragule and the flint and steel, the Burgundian badges which were brought to Maximilian by his wife, Mary of Burgundy. Their names are mentioned in the list of tax-payers in the parish of S. Maria Beltrade, the church of the Swordsmiths' Gild, at Milan under the date 1524-9, and they are also mentioned in a letter from Maximilian to Ludovico il Moro in 1495 as excellent armourers. They took their name from the village of Merate, which is near Missaglia, a township which was the birthplace of the famous Missaglia family. Work stamped with the word "Arbois" and the crown is found at Vienna, 917, 948, and the " M" with the crescent is marked on the bard of A, 3 at Madrid, on II, 3 and II, 5, Tower of London. Thomaso Missaglia, Milan, circ. 141 5-1468.

francs a year

The

family

name of Thomaso and

his

de-

proved by a tombgj.^j^^ formerly in the church of San Satiro at Milan on which the two names appear. They came from the township of Missalia, near Ello, on the lake of Como. Petrajolo, the father of Thomaso, was also an armourer, and worked about the year 1390, but we have little knowledge of his history. The house occupied by the Missaglias was in the Via degli Spadari, Milan, and was decorated with Marks

18

27, 78.

scendants was Negroni, as

is

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

138

It was demolished in the family badges and monograms (Fig. 66). street improvements, but was first carefully drawn 1 90 1 in the course of and described by Sigs. Gelli and Morretti in

monograph on the Milanese armourers. The heavy work of the armourers was carried out at a mill near the Porta Romana, for which

their

the Missaglias paid a rent of one sallad a year to the

Duke of

Milan.

Thomaso da

Missaglia

was ennobled in 1435 by Philip Maria Visconti and was made free of taxes in 1450. There are many records of commissions to him and of taxes and other municipal matters connected with the family in the Archives of Milan. He Fig. 66. Capital formerly in the died in 1 469 and was buricd in the church of an. pa an, eg The only known g Maria Bcltrade, Milan. work by this master is No. 2 in the Vienna Collection (Plate XXX). Baron de Cosson^ has pointed out the strong resemblance between this suit, the effigy of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, in S. Mary's Church, Warwick, and the picture of S. George by Mantegna in the Accademia, Venice. 1

1

Antonio was the son of Thomaso Missaglia, Milan, circ. 1430-92. and was one of the foremost of the Milanese Marks 24, 25, 26. armourers. As has been noticed in the Introduction, the style of armour which was evolved by him and his father seems to have been adopted by German craftsmen. There are numerous records of payments and letters connected with Antonio in the Archives of Milan from the year 1450 onwards. He worked for Galeazzo Maria Visconti and for Bona di Savoia and after the death of the former became Ducal Armourer. In 1456 he made armour for the Papal troops, and about this time he enlarged the workshops of the family in the Via In 1469 the Duke of Milan gave him a mill near the degli Spadari. In 1470 he received a lease of iron-mines near the S. Angelo Canal. forest of Canzo, near the Lago del Segrino, from the Ducal Chamber, and in 1472, in recognition of his services to the State, he was allowed to Antonio Missaglia,

purchase the property. 1

Arch. Journ., XLVIII.

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES The

last

to his mines

In the

MSS.

i39

entry in the Milanese Archives relating to Antonio refers

and furnaces

in a letter to

Bona

di Savoia, April 20th, 1480.

Embassy which came to Milan on its way to Germany, written by Andrea de Francesca. This report states that Antonio's workshops were visited and armour was seen there to the value of 1 000 ducats. He seems to have had a son Scabrino, but there are no records of him as an armourer. Antonio died at the end of the fifteenth century and is the last of the family who used the

Lib., Trivulziano,

name of

is

a report of the Venetian

His successors reverted to the family name of Negroni or Negroli. The suit No. 3 in the Vienna Collection is stamped with his mark (Plate II), and many helmets of the sallad type and various pieces of armour bear a similar stamp in other armouries, such as the Wallace Collection, the Porte de Hal, Brussels, etc. etc. The close helmet on the "Tonlet suit" in the Tower, II, 29 (Plate X), is engraved with the Collar of the Garter and bears the Missaglia stamp, and a suit in the Musee d'Artillerie, G, 3, bears the same mark. Missaglia.

Mola

Gasparo Mola,

Rome,

is

whom we Rome. He

the only armourer

can was

worked in born about the year 1590 at Breglio, where his father was an architect. He came to Milan at an early age and worked there as a goldsmith. In 1607 ^^ made various objects in gold and silver for the Duke of Savoy. In the same year he was summoned by Duke Ferdinand de Medici to Florence, where he worked for two years. In the years 1613— 14 he produced medals for Mantua and Guastalla, and about the same time he executed work for Carlo Emmanuele I of Savoy. He committed suicide in 1640. Though we have no data for the theory, it seems not unlikely that it was the studio of Mola which Breughel has represented in his picture of Venus at the Forge of Vulcan. The ruins in the background certainly suggest some of the buildings in Rome, which might have been used for this purpose. There are also many medals and examples of goldsmith's work shown on this picture in addition to the armour. He was an expert in enamel-work and made richly decorated pistols, and in 1642 produced a fine helmet and shield which are now in the circ.

Bargello

1590- 1640.

Museum,

identify as having

Florence.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

140 Philippo

and Jacomo Negroli,

Milan,

1521-80.

circ.

Marks

42, 43, 44.

Philippo and Jacomo Negroli were sons of Bernardino who worked in Rome. It is un-

whether their father still kept the name of Missaglia, which was used by Antonio and Thomaso Negroni. The earliest known work by these masters is dated 1532. For some years they were assisted by their brother Francesco, who left them about this date and worked alone for the Mantuan Court. Brantome and Vasari both mention Philip as being a craftsman of very high repute. His armour was always very costly, and Brantome states that a morion made by him would cost 40 thalers and that in sixteen years he had amassed 50,000 thalers. He seems to have been ennobled, for Brantome calls him Seigneur de Negroli. He had a house in the Porta Comassina, the wealthy quarter of Milan. His work is always ornate, but does not transgress the craft-laws to such an extent as did the armour of PefFenhauser and Piccinino (Plate XXIX). Work by the Negrolis is to be found as follows: In Madrid, A, 139-46; D, 13, 30, 64. Vienna, 330. Paris, G, 7, 10, 178. certain

We

have no details of the life of this craftsman beyond the dates of his birth and death. He is best known as the maker of elaborately decorated armour. The suit made for King Sebastian of Portugal (Madrid, A, 290) is one of the most ornate suits in existence (Plate XIV, also His works are found as follows: Madrid, A, 290. Dresden, p. 75). C, 10, 13, 15^, 20; D, II ; E, 6
Lucio was the son of Antonio Piccinino, the famous sword-smith. It is uncertain whether Milan, circ. 1590. he actually produced armour himself or whether he was solely concerned with the decoration. Like Peffenhauser he delighted in lavish display of ornament without any consideration to its fitness for armour. His work is extraordinarily minute and the technical skill displayed is extreme. His work is only to be found at Madrid, A, 291-4, and at Vienna, 543. Lucio Piccinino,

„

J ,,

^f

rompeo della Lbtesa, Milan coo i

The °^^

^

^^

Pompeo was

son of a noted craftsman, ,

-

^^^ roremost armourers

years of the sixteenth century.

m

the latter

He

was Court

•

1

1

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES Armourer

to Philip III of

Seusenhofer,

1

Marks

and to the Archduke of Milan, found in the Armeria Reale, Turin,

Spain,

Alessandro Farnese. His work is C, 21, 70 ; in Vienna, 858, 859. Conrad, Hans, and Jorg

141

The

brothers Conrad and

Hans

at different

470-15 55.

periods filled the position of Court

7, 8.

to Maximilian

Armourer

Conrad was born between the years 1450 and 1460. He was cousin to Treytz,who produced the Weisz Kilnigj that chronicle of the doings and artistic endeavours of the young Maximilian which, while it is amusing in its sycophantic adulation of the Emperor is, at the same time, an I.

invaluable record of the operations of the

applied arts of the period and of cos-

tumes and armour then in fashion. In 1 5 04 Conrad was appointed Court

Armourer

for a period of six years with

a further agreement for a pension of 50 fl. afterwards for life. In the same year he

received

money

for enlarging his

work-

much correspondence it was deducted from his salary. The shops, but after

young Emperor had theories about the making of armour as he had about every other art and craft, and working in con-

junction with his armourer, and, pre-

sumably, taking credit for his craftsman's expert knowledge, evolved the fluted style of plate armour which still bears his name. It was based upon Italian models of the Gothic type which, at the

Engraving on the left cuisse of Henry VIII's Suit, made by Conrad

Fig. 67.

Seusenhofer (Tower,

II, 5).

end of the fifteenth century, was distinguished by certain graceful flutings which Conrad and his master elaborated till they covered the whole surface of the armour. At this time the craftsmen of Brussels were noted experts in the tempering of steel, and both Maximilian and Henry VIII employed ironworkers from this city in their armouries.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

142

Much

of the raw material was drawn from Styria, and was exported in such large quantities to England that the supply was in danger of

running short ; so a monopoly was established and exportation forbidden. This naturally raised the price, and was one of the many causes which combined to keep up a ceaseless friction between Maximilian, his Diet, and his armourers. Seusenhofer favoured elaborate ornament on his armour, and this did not please the officials who were responsible for the equipment of the army. He was urged to produce plainer and more serviceable work, a suggestion which Maximilian with his love of pageantry ignored. In 15 1 1 we find Seusenhofer complaining that Kiigler, the minemaster, was sending him inferior metal, and as he considered that the use of it would be detrimental to the reputation of Innsbruck as a factory of armour, he suggested that it should be classed as Milanese. In 15 1 1 the famous " Engraved Suit," now in the Tower of London, was put in hand as a present from Maximilian to Henry VIII. From the State Archives of Innsbruck (Jahrbuch II, reg. 1028) we find that two cuirasses were ready for the King of England, one gilded. There were apparently five others to be made, one of which was to be silvered. This was probably the suit above mentioned. The whole of the suit is covered with fine engraving representing the stories of S. George and S. Barbara, with foliage and heraldic badges. The designs have been engraved and a detailed description given by Sir S. Meyrick in tArchceoiogia^ XXII. The horse-armour is not by the same hand, for the engraving is coarser. It may have been executed in England by German craftsmen to match the rider's armour (see Plates X, XII, Fig. 67). There were ceaseless troubles over the payment and delivery of work Sometimes Seusenhofer would retain work fi-om the royal workshop. for which the Emperor had pressing need till payment was made, and on one occasion, when speedy delivery was not made, Maximilian ordered the armourers to be placed in the forefront of the battle, with no armour on, to show them what inconvenience their delay was causing It is needless to say that the armour was delivered at once. So obsessed with the idea of his omniscience was the Emperor that when, in the Weisz Kunig^ Seusenhofer suggests some secret method of work!

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES

i^s

ing the metal, he replies "Arm me according to my own wishes, for it is I and not you who will take part in the tournament." Again, Maximilian writes "If you have forgotten the art which I have taught you :

:

me know

and

you again." The date of Conrad's death is unknown, but

let

I will instruct

was, as far as can

it

be ascertained, about the year 15 17. He was succeeded as Court Armourer by his younger brother Hans, and he in turn gave place to his nephew Jorg, who produced the suits which exist at the present day in Paris, G, 41, 117 ; Vienna, The only authentic work of Conrad is in the Tower of 283, 407.

London, ,

II, ,

5. rr,

r

Jacob Topf,

Innsbruck

i

^70-00

^^ Wc

havc but

little

iri

information respecting

^, '^^ spite or the minute researches or the °P*> late Dr. Wendelin Boeheim. From civic records ~

.

.

,

Innsbruck he appears to have been one of three brothers. David, the youngest, was in service with Archduke Ferdinand at Ambras and died in 1594. In 1575 we find Jacob working for the Archduke at Innsbruck. Boeheim discovered in his investigations that Topf was absent from Germany between the years 1562 and 1575 and was probably employed in Italy, England, and elsewhere. There are no records of

at

employment in England except in a letter written by Sir Henry Lee in 1590, where mention is made of " Master Jacobe," who is now considered to be Topf. We have, however, a most valuable record of work which was in all probability his in the Almain Armourer' s Alburn^ now in the Art Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This book consists of large drawings in ink and water-colour (17 in. by i i^in.), thirty-one in number, which show twenty-nine suits of armour with details of extra pieces for the joust. On No. 14 is the signature: "These Tike peces made by me Jacobe," but the name Topf does not occur in the Album. In the year 1790 the book was in the possession of the Duchess of Portland, at which time Pennant engraved the second suit of Robert his

^

Dudley, Earl of Leicester, for his History of London. Strutt also engraved the suit of George, Earl of Cumberland, in Mi^Dresses and Costumes The library of the Duchess of Portland was sold in (II, Plate CVLI). 1

See page 66.

144

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

799 and the Album disappeared till the year 1 894, when it passed into the Spitzer Collection, At the Spitzer sale it was bought by M. Stein, of Paris, and on the advice and through the personal efforts of Viscount 1

Dillon, the present Curator of the

Tower Armouries,

it

was acquired

for the nation.

Several of the drawings have been carefully reproduced

by Mr.

Griggs in a book, edited by Viscount Dillon, under the title of ^jin ^Imain Armourers ^Album^ and it is by the courtesy of the editor and publisher that the accompanying illustrations are reproduced in the present work.

The following list gives the complete shows which of the

suits illustrated in

series

of plates in the Album and

the original are

now in

existence.

Suits in Existence

(None complete

in all parts.)

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES Drawings

145

Suits in Existence

(None complete 1

6.

17.

The

Earle of Penbrouke

in all parts.)

Wilton House.

Ser Cristofer Hattone (and suit)

The

suit

of Prince

Henry

at

Windsor

was copied from this and from No. 17 by W. Pickering (see Plate XX). 1

8.

19.

Ser

John Smithe

Sr.

Henry Lee, Mr. of tharmerie (2nd

Tower, II, 12. This suit has brassards which are not shown in the sketch in the Album (Plates XXVI, XXVIII).

.

suit).

Armet

Tower

(IV, 29). Lockinggauntlet in the Hall of the Armourers' in the

and Braziers' Co., London (Plate XIII, Figs. 32, 68). Burgonet, bufFe, and leg-armour at Stockholm. 20.

The

Earle of Cumberlande

21. Sr. Cristopher

Hatton (3rd

22.

Mr. Macke Williams.

23.

My

24.

My

L.

Chancellor Bromley].

[Sir

.

Appleby

Castle.

suit).

Thomas

L. Cobbon.

25. Sir Harry Lea (3rd suit).

Mr. of the Armore

Hall of the Armourers and Braziers' Company, London. On each side of the breast in the band of engraving are the initials A. V. (Fig. 69), which probably stand for Anne Vavasour, natural daughter of Sir T. Vavasour and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth. The Nat. Diet, of Biog. states that she

was

Sir

Henry

Lee's

mistress.

26.

My

27.

Mr. Skidmur [John Scudamor].

28.

My

Lorde Cumpton

Portions of this and of the next suit were formerly at Home Lacy and are now in the Metropolitan Museum, New

York.

Lorde Bucarte

Wallace Collection, 435.

29. Sr. Bale Desena.

Vienna (491), made for Archduke Carl of Steiermark, which Boeheim considered to be from Topf's hands.

There 19

is

also a suit at

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

146

Fuller details of the above suits will be found in the reproduction

of the

Album above

Fig. 68.

and

referred to,

also in (Arch, yourn.^ LI, 113.

Gauntlet and armet of Sir Henry Lee (from the Armourer's Album,

Victoria and Albert

Museum).

Fig. 69.

See also Plate XIII and Fig.

Rubbing of

design on breast of Sir

Henry

Lee's

Armourers' Hall, London.

suit,

32.

LIST

OF ARMOURERS' MARKS

THE

following have been taken from rubbings, drawings, and prints, and the authorship of the marks is that given in the several catalogues.

The

nationality of the

armour

is

given

first

German, Italian, Spanish, or French ; following this is the approximate date ; and lastly the Museums in which the mark is found with the catalogue number. The Roman figures denote the century to which the mark is ascribed.

as

A = Athens, Ethnological B = Brussels,

Mus.

Porte de Hal.

Ber= Berlin, Zeughaus.

D = Dresden, Johanneum. G= Geneva. L= London, Tower.

M = Madrid, Real Armeria. N= Nuremberg. P= Paris, Musee

dArtillerie.

S = Stockholm, Lifrustkammer.

T= Turin, Armeria Reale. V= Vienna, Wafiensammlung. Ven= Venice, Museo

civico

147

and Arsenale.

f

otf

Q

I

^

V

W

9 ^

90

lO

13

To

(f'

+ 12

II

«^0

^

14

.15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

9 19

00 25

26

•9

27

JB[>

28

29

30

@

ii

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

I 44

45

46

Iril 48

49

50 Armourers' Marks.

51

47

O d-

52

MARKS

LIST OF ARMOURERS' 1.

XIV.

P, H, 23.

3.

XV. XV.

4.

Germ.,

5.

XV.

2.

6.

P, H, 27.

P,H,4i. XV. P, G,

I.

P, H, 36. Rotschmied, Germ.

G.

7.

iS97. Conrad Seusenhofer, Germ.

8.

Jorg Seusenhofer, Germ.

9.

Valentine Siebenbiirger, Germ.

1518.

1558.

XV. P, H, 11. XV-XVI. P, H,

10.

Germ.,

11.

Germ.,

12.

14.

XVI. P, H, 55, 305. It., XVI. P,H, 54. Germ., XVI. P, G, 23.

13.

L, Ilf

5.

V, 283, 407. P, G, 41, 117. 1531-47. V, 226.

42.

It.,

15.

Adrian Treytz, Germ.

16.

Veit, Germ.,

17.

Wilhelm von Worms, Germ., XVI.

18.

Merate brothers.

19.

Germ.,

N, V.

XV-XVI. P, G, 18. F. Siebenburger, Germ., XVI.

21.

Germ.,

22.

City of Augsburg,

XVI-XVII.

V, 226, 296.

V, 917.

1495.

It.

V, 66, 1018.

1469-1517.

XV-XVI.

20.

P, G, 22, 568.

P, H, 166.

D, E, 556

(see also 97).

XV-XVII /awiw.

23.

Lorenz Colman or Helmschmied, 1516.

24.

Antonio da Missaglia,

25.

Antonio da Missaglia.

26.

Antonio da Missaglia.

27.

Petrajolo and

28.

Germ.,

1492 /<2Xit/»

It.

29.

Tomaso da Missaglia. P, H, 158. Germ., XV-XVI. P, G, 382.

30.

Sigismund Wolf, Germ.

31.

It.

32.

Germ.,

33.

It.,

34.

It.,

P, G, 536; V, 1005.

(see also 36).

1400-68.

V,

2, 3,

897

;

P, H, 29

(see also

No.

78).

XVI.

(?),XVI.

P, G, 63, 64,

1554.

etc.

;

M,

A, 231.

P, G,36.

XVI. P, G, XV. A (possibly XV. A. XV. M,D, 14.

147,

H,

97.

a Missaglia mark, see

35.

It.,

36.

Antonio da Missaglia,

37.

XVI.

38.

Matthaias Fraiienpreis, Germ.

39.

Franz Grofsschedl, Germ.

It.,

XV-XVI.

No.

24).

P, H, 29.

P, G, 84.

41.

V, 397, 950; D, G, 39. V, 989 ; D, C, i, 2. Coloman Colman or Helmschmied, Germ. 1470-1532. V, 175 D, G, 15; 1516. V, 62 (see also No. 23). Lorenz Colman or Helmschmied, Germ.

z

pS^

44.

Philipp and

45.

City of Nuremberg,

46.

Kunz

47.

Heinrich Obresch, Germ.

48.

Anton PefFenhauser, Germ.

49.

Hans

40.

i^Q

1549-75-

1568.

;

St™ N.xr^' «°

or

Jacomo Negroli

P, G,

(?).

'*•

^

10, 178.

1566-95.

50.

Germ. 1560. XVI-XVII. P, G, 124.

51.

Possibly the Merate brothers.

52.

Germ.,

9.

V, 334

1567.

P, G, 182,

;

etc.;

M, A, 243

1590.

V, 489

;

M,

A, 290.

V.

Ringter,

V,

7,

" * ^'-*' " '• ^-

19, 59, 73, etc.

XV -XVII passim.

Conrad Lochner, Germ.

XVI.

•

M, A,

It.

XV-XVI.

V, 60

;

L, VI, 28

;

M,

A,

3.

;

S, 64.

54

53

55

56

57

1^

P •VS^ 58

60

59

(6

^ S 4

65

64

62

61

66

67

S

1

72

71

68

74

84

83

80

S^ 85

a 88

94

89

99

lOO

90

91

96

^ 101

92

#

Q 95

g)

@

86

lOi

8 93

»^':'

F\-V^

w 82

69

75

79

78

1 81

73

B a> 77

76

®

ST

1$ 70

63

97

98

I03

I04

^ I02

Armourers' Marks.

MARKS

LIST OF ARMOURERS' 53. Possibly the Merate brothers, 54. Possibly

Hans

XV.

V,

55.

It.,

It.,

Gu'inewalt, Germ,,

XV-XVI. V, 948. XV-XVI. V, 66, 995.

s-

XV-XVI. B, II, XV. M,A,4. XV. M,A,6. On a mail skirt, XV-XVI. T, G, 86.

56. J. Voys, Netherland, 57.

58. 59.

60. Peter von Speyer, Germ., 1560.

66.

XV. Gen. It., XV. Gen. Germ., XV-XVI. P, H, It., XV. Gen. Germ., XVI. V, 63. It., XV-XVI. Ven. Mus.

67.

It.,

XVI.

68.

On

a sallad with Missaglia mark.

61.

62.

63. 64. 65.

70. Germ.,

XV-XVI.

71. Armourers'

B,

M, A,

11

Ber.

76.

civico.

It.,

XV.

Ven. Mus.

civico.

II, loi.

V, 1022. Company, London, XVII.

L.

XV. D, Netherlands, XV.

72. Germ.,

74. Siebenburger

XVI.

It.,

A, 75. D, A, 75. Germ., XVI.

(?),

M, A,

It.,

XV.

B,

II, 92.

147.

76. Jorg Sigman, Germ.,

77.

;

Ven. Arsenale.

XVI.

75.

40

It.,

69. Germ.,

73.

39,

XVI.

M, A,

238.

A.

T. and P. da Missaglia, It., 1400-1468. P, H, 29 Sigmund Rosenburger, Germ. XVI. D, C, 3, 4. D.i 80. City of Augsburg (?), XVI. 81. City of Augsburg (?), ^Vl passim. 78.

;

V,

2,

3

;

L, II, 29 (see Nos. 24-7).

79.

82. Germ.,

83.

M.

88.

XV.

XVI.

D.

XVII. P, H, 150; V, 711 Sp., XV. 84. M, D, 24. XV. It., A. 85. 86. It., XV. A. M, B, 11; T, C, 14. 87. XVII. Petit.

89. Germ.,

90.

XVI.

Fr.

P,H, 141. XV-XVI.

L,

II,

;

M, A,

379.

37.

L, III, 186.

XVI. L, II, 3. XV. M, C, 10. Sp., XV. M, C, 10. It., XV. A. XV. M, D, 18. Germ., XV. B, II, 170. Germ., XVI. B, II, 182 Germ., XVI. B, II, 30. Germ., XVI. B, II, 3.

91. Germ.,

92. Sp., 93.

94.

95. 96. 97.

98. 99.

;

D, E, 556

100. Possibly the city of Wittenburg,

loi. Sp.,

XV.

104.

XVI.

B,

II, 4,

No. 21)

;

S, on

a crossbow, 143.

41.

C, 10.

XV. C, XV. A. Germ. XV. V.

102. Sp., 103.

M, M,

(see also

10.

It.,

J

A

similar

mark was used by the Armourers' Company, London, about 1640.

i^i

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS DEALING WITH ARMOUR AND WEAPONS The meanings

of the words in this Glossary are given either from comparison of various scattered entries in contemporary documents or from the following

works

:

Boeheim.

Waffenkjinde.

Cotgrave.

Dictionarie of the French

Du

Cange,

A

Florio.

Gay.

1890.

Glossaire Franfais.

Worlde of Woordes.

Glossaire Archeologique,

and English

1598.

K-G

English Military Discipline. Antient

Glossaire de la

1.

C.

F.

{ncYGv com^\&t&d,).

Meyrick. Roquefort.

161

Edit. 1879.

Harford.

Armour

Tongues.

(glossary).

G.

1887.

H.

1680. 1842.

Langue Romaine.

1808.

R.

Valencia Catalogue of Real Armeria, Madrid.

Where no reference letter is given the meaning given is that generally accepted the present day. The names of the different parts of the suit of plate armour are given in English, French, German, and Italian and Spanish are given on pp. no, 1 1 1.

at

Alaharda,

Abzug, Germ, the trigger of a gun. Achsel,

Germ,

It.

halberd.

O.F. soldiers of fortune, free-

Alagties, Halagues,

see pauldron.

lances, R,

Germ, see rondel. Germ, see ailette. Acroc, a hook or clasp.

Alberia, a shield

Adargue, a heart-shaped buckler, G.

Alborium, a

Affust, \ |g"i-carriage.

AlettKle, Fr.

the lame or blade of the sword.

Afut,

Alemella,

a knife or dagger,

Agaric, tinder used with flint-lock gun.

Alfange, Sp. cutlass.

Alarica, a heavy triangular-pointed spear.

Achselhohlscheibe,

Achselschilde,

Alberc,

Germ,

see hauberk.

bow

It.

without armorial bearings. of hazel,

Agier, O.F. darts.

Alferanna, Sp. a banner.

Aguinia, machines or engines of war.

Algier,

Aguzo,

Allecret, a variety

It.

the point of the spear.

Aiguilettes, tags at the

Almayne

worn on the

Very rare and seldom XIII-XIV cent.

shoulders.

Alzo,

cent.

rivet, suit

XVI cent.

of half-armour, end of

stiletto or

dagger.

of light half-armour,

It.

the " sight " of the firearm.

Amadue, Fr. see agaric.

Aketon, see gambeson,

20

XIV

XVI

Almete, Sp. a close, round helmet, armet.

wing-like pieces of plate or cuir-bouilly

seen on monuments.

cent.

dart.

Almarada, Sp. a

ends of laces for fastening

the various pieces of armour. Ailettes,

O.F.

XI

Ameure, a dagger.

X53

cent.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

154

Armoyer, O.F. armourer, maker of sword-hilts, R. Armrohen, Germ, cannon of the vambrace.

Amorce, priming, Amarcoir, Fr. powder-flask. Amussette, Fr. a breech-loading musket, Anelace, a broad-bladed dagger, early

Angon, a javelin used in the

VI

XVIII cent.

XIV

cent.

cent.

The head

was heavy and the top part of the shaft thin, so that it bent on impact and thus hampered the stricken man, G.

Armrust, Germ, crossbow.

Armure

cannelee, Fr. fluted

armour.

Armzeug, Germ, brassard. Arnesi, It. harness as used for " armour."

XVI

Arquebus, a musket of

cent.

Arret, Fr. small decorated tabs used on straps for

armour and horse-furniture, G.

Animes, a cuirass of horizontal lames, R. Antebrachia, see vambrace.

Arret de

Antela, see poitrel.

Arriere-bras, Fr. see rerebrace.

Antia, the handle of a buckler.

Germ,

Anzerdecke,

the sword. Asbergo, a breastplate or cuirass, a vamplate, F. Asper, aspar, the " grip " of the lance.

Arbalest, a crossbow. eric,

a heavy crossbow used in sieges.

a cranequin,

Arbalest

a

crossbow drawn with a

windlass. tiller

of a crossbow.

estradiots,

Argolets, cent.,

Auber, see alborium. Ausfatz,

Avance, Fr. the front peak of the burgonet.

the fore and aft peaks of the saddle.

It.

sight " of a firearm.

Avant-bras, see vambrace.

Aventail, breathing aperture in helmet, the earliest

vamplate, later the lance-rest, 6. the windlass of a crossbow.

French mounted arquebussiers,XVI-XVII R.

Arma bianco. Arme blanche,

Germ, the "

Avant plat, see vamplate.

grip of a lance, R.

lance,

form of Azza,

It.

visor.

a long-shafted axe.

Azzimino,

It.

fine inlay

work on

Oriental weapons,

F. It.

Fr.

1

J

Armacudium, an indefinite weapon of offence. Arma d'asta. It. any long-shafted weapon.

Bacchetta, It. a ramrod.

Armatoste, Sp. the windlass of a crossbow.

Bacul, O.F. crupper of horse-trappings, R, Bacyn, see bascinet.

Amies a

in

charging.

see arquebus.

It.

Aresciiel, the

moulding on a cannon. which the lance was held

XV cent.

Arcon, the saddle-bow.

Arganello,

see holy-water sprinkle.

Attry, O.E. artillery.

cannon, base-ring. Archegaye, a staff sharpened at both ends carried by

Arest de

;

of a lance.

Atilt, the position in

Archet defer, the moulded ring on the breech of a

It.

Astile, It. the shaft

Astregal, a

Arcabuz, Sp. see arquebus.

Arcioni,

R

Asperges, O.F. a mace,

Astonne, a lance, R.

Arbrier, the

Archibuso,

Fr. lance-rest.

the counter-guard or knuckle-bow of

Arr'iere-hilt,

see barde.

Appogiar, the cantle of the saddle.

Arbalest a

lance,

Vepreuve, pistol-proof armour.

Armet, a close helmet with bevor and movable visor.

Back-sword, sword with single-edged blade.

Badelaire, Fr. a short cutlass.

\ a dagger 1 67 2. /

Bagonet,

fitted

to

the

musket,

circ.

Armil, see surcoat.

Bayonet,

Armin, an ornamental hand-grip for the pike made

Bagordare, O.It. to hold a burlesque tournament.

of velvet or leather. Arming-bonett, a padded cap Arming-doublet,

Baguette, ramrod, also brayette, q.v.

worn under

the helmet.

worn under the armour. worn under leg-armour.

Bainbergs, shin-defences of metal or cuir-bouilly. Baldrick,

I

an ornamented belt to carry the sword,

Arming-hose, long hose

Ba-wdric,

J

Arming-points, laces for tying on parts of the suit of

Balestra,

It.

armour.

Armings-word, a short sword worn on the right side.

Armkachen, Germ, elbow-cops.

XIV

cent.

see arbalest.

Balloch knife, a knife or

quillons,

Balayn,

\

Balon,

)

XV-XVI

dagger with

balls instead

of

cent.

whalebone used for crests or the swords for tourneys.

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS

155

bow, F. formed of rings through which a leathern thong was passed horizontally on the

Bergaman, O.F. a cutlass or dagger from Bergamo,

hauberk.

Uec au

Balottera, a stone

Banded

mail, mail

Bandes, Fr. see lames.

Bandes de bout Bandes de

dessus, axle-tree

bands, cape squares, H.

wood

or metal.

entitled to carry banners. Banquelets, Fr. strips of decorated metal

keep the belt rigid, G. It. the " grummet " of a

Barbazzale,

on a sword-

Germ, see bascinet. Germ, see jambe. Beintaschen, Germ, see tassets. Beinzeug, Germ, see cuissard. Beringt, Germ, ringed mail. Beinr'dhren,

Beruier, Fr. a light head-piece with ear-flaps

XV cent.,

chin-strap,

to protect the armpits,

any small plates of metal. Bessa, a pickaxe used

"j

by pioneers,

XV cent.

Sp. \ see bevor.

D Hevor,

Barbotto, It. J

Barbuta, a piece of head-armour, a bevor, F. Barbute,^ a form of bascinet of Barbet,

unknown

Bill, a

with neck and

G.

>

small anvil.

)

O.F. a javelin or dart, R.

small rapier.

Bilbo, a

Bardiche, a variety of pole-axe.

XV cent.,

>

Bigateno,

criniere, Fr. see crinet.

Barducium, see morning

a species of bascinet

chin piece,

horse-armour.

Barding,}

the chin-piece of an armet or a sallad. '

1 I

Bicorn, o- ,. Jitckiron,

\

Barde de

'

Bicoquet, Fr.

type, also

a light horseman.

I

Bardes,

weapon with

scythe-like blade and six-foot

shaft.

star.

Germ, chin-guard of plate. the division of wood which separated com-

Barthaube,

Billette, F.,

Barriers,

Biro, O.F., a dart, javelin, or arrow, R.

batants in foot-jousts, also the jousts themselves. Bascinet, a light

helmet of ovoid form tapering to a

point at the summit,

XIII-XV

visor,

worn with or without

a

Bisacuta,

\

Bisague, O.F.,

I

Basilard, a curved civilian sword,

XVI

XIV

cent.

Blank wafte. Germ., see arme blanche.

sword

for cut

boxes, H.

Bohordicum, a burlesque joust in which

Bombarde, an early form of ordnance resembling a

and thrust

long for two hands, or a

blunted sword for practice.

mortar. Bonbicinium, see bascinet.

Bordon,

\

Baston, a

Bordonasse,

\

Boston,

Borto,

I

mace or club with polygonally cut head. gros, O.F. large ordnance, R.

Battecul, see garde-rein. Batticuli, taces or

Bauchreifen,

loin-guards of plate, F.

Germ,

see taces.

Boson, an

a lance used for jousting.

arrow with a blunt point. on the peytral of a horse.

Bossoirs, the bosses

Batafogo, Sp. see linstock.

armour proof against sword, axe, or

Baudik, see baldrick.

Botta a.

Baudrier, Fr. cross-belt.

Batte a, Fr.

Bavier, Fr.

>

Botte cassee, Fr.,

D tSaviera,

f

T

It. -/

,

see bevor.

sham lances

(bohours) were used.

priming-pan of a firelock.

sufficiently

cent.

Blanchon, O.F., a kind of pike, R. plate,

Bask sword, a stout, single-edged blade.

with grip

XIII-XIV

Bishops mantle, a cape of mail.

Boetes,

Bastard, sword, a long

the military pick or two-edged axe,

Blanc haubert, Fr., coat of mail.

cent.

Bassinet, Fr.

see toggle.

Blacon, O.F., a buckler or shield, R.

cent.

O.E. see bascinet. Base, O.F. a short sword or cutlass, R. Bases, skirts of fabric or, in armour, of

Bascuette,

.

and

G.

O.E. small plates

Besagues,

bridle.

Barhera, Sp. see mentoniere.

Barbate,

see martel de fer.

It.

Beckenhaube,

Bannerets, those knighted on the field of battle and

Barhiere, Fr.

)

Bee defaucon, Fr. a war-hammer.

of a cannon, H.

Bandolier, musketeer's belt to carry gun-charges in

belt to

| ^ ^^^^ ^^ solleret with obtuse point.

cane,

Becco di corvo.

d'affust, trail-plate

separate cases of

R. ear-paw,

It.

1 )

lance blow.

" high proof."

armour proof against

all

weapons,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

156

Botton, a button or

buckle for fastening the gorget

armour

Brichette, Br'ichette,

to the breast-piece.

Bouche, the hole cut in the corner of the shield

through which to point the lance

;

also the cir-

T,

1

)

,

breast-armour,

\

..

hips.

^^^ XV

cent.

Brigandine, a body-defence of small plates riveted

and lining of

to a cover

cular hole in the vamplate.

and

for loins

fabric.

sword of cutlass form,

early

Boucles, Fr. see genouilliere.

Briquet, Fr. a

Boudrier, Fr. see bandolier.

Brise-cuirass, Fr. a short, strong dagger.

Bougeran,

Brise-epee, Fr. see

Bougran:}

buckram used

for tournament armour.

XIX cent.

sword-breaker.

Brochiero, It. a small buckler

used for sword and

buckler fights.

„

.

blunt-headed arrow for shooting game.

' [

Boujon,

\

Boulcn,

I

Broquel, Sp. see rondache.

crossbow quarrel, R.

a

Brujula, Sp. see visor.

Brunt, O.E. the front or peytral of a horse-trapper.

Bourdonasse, Fr. see bordon.

Bourlet, Fr. the swell of the Bourlette, Fr. a

muzzle of a cannon.

method of attaching two

together sliding in burrs or

plates

the

pendent

strips

of leather or

cent.,

in

arm-guard and

one piece.

cross-belt for a sword.

It.

Bufeta, Sp. neck-guards

on a pauldron.

Buffa, the buffe or face-plate of a burgonet.

of buiF leather.

Burdo, see borto. Bukel,

Germ,

see rondache.

Burghera, a gorget, F.

Bracclali, It. see brassard.

a light,

Burgonet,

Bracconniere, Fr. see taces. Bracelet,

breastplate.

Buffletin, Fr. see colletto.

a small shield with

It.

"sword-breaker"

Germ,

Bujle, a coat

G.

Bracciale, It. brassard.

Bracciaiuola,

Bruststiick,

Budr'tere,

which decorated the horse-trappings of

XV-XVI

tilting-breastplate

Bufe, a movable bevor used with an open casqe.

chape of a sword.

the

Fr.

Germ,

Brygandyrmis, see brigandine.

slots.

Boutefeu, Fr. linstock.

Boutreaux,

see peytral.

Brustschild mit sch'dnbart.

with mentoniere.

mace.

Bourrelet, a, Fr. a

Bouterolle, Fr. the

Germ,

Brustpanzer,

Bourlet, Fr. a coif.

fabric

Broigne, a shirt of mail.

Broke, O.F. a kind of dagger, R.

Bougeon, \

Fr. the ring of metal

which joined the

open helmet, generally found

with ear-flaps and sometimes a face-guard,

XVII

XVI-

vambrace to the rerebrace, the elbow-cop, G. Bracer, a leathern wrist-guard used by archers of the long-bow.

Burr, the iron ring on the lance below the "grip"

Bracheta, O.It.

Buttafuoco, {

Braghetta, 2,

It.

Brandistocco,

see brayette. ^

)

It.

a

three-pronged spear, a swine-

cent.

hand slipping back.

to prevent the It.

see linstock.

Butteire, Fr. a type of

Buzo,

It.

arquebus.

see quarrel.

feather.

Braquemart, a short, broad-bladed cutting sword. Brasalot,

O.F. see elbow-cop.

Brassard, the whole arm-defence, including vambrace, elbow-cop, and rerebrace. Brasselet, see bracer.

Bratspiess, Brayette,

Germ, see ranseur.

Brazale, Sp. brassard.

Germ, see falcione. Germ, neck-guards on the pauldrons. and back pieces. crossbow to shoot stones

Bretelles, Fr. straps for joining breast

or arrows, F.

helmet with narrow brim

all

round,

cent.

Cairelli, O.It. see It.

quarrel.

a case or quiver for arrows.

Cake, the vamplate of a lance, also the butt end, also stockings, F. Caliver, a short firelock.

Brechenmesser,

Briccola, O.It. a tiller or

XVI Caissia,

O.F. for codpiece.

Brechrander,

Cabasset, a

Calote, a skull-cap

XVII Caltrop,

worn under

the hat by cavalry,

cent. a

ground

ball

with four spikes placed on the

to receive cavalry.

Calva, Sp. skull or

bowl of

a helmet.

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS Camaglio,

Cerbatane,

see camail.

It.

Camail, a hood or tippet of chain mail,

XIV-XV

Camba, O.It. see jambs.

Cesello, It.

a metal skull-cap, a secrete.

It.

Camisado,

the wearing of white

It.

armour for night

shorts

over

attacks.

O.F.

(

'„

^

of the horse-trap-

the part

pings on the haunches, decorated

<

^

with large

'

XV-XVI

bells,

cent.

in the decoration

Chamfron,

\

Chaiifrein,

\

Chanfron,

)

defence of plate for the horse's head.

Champ-clos, O.F. see

lists.

Chape, the metal tip at the lower end of a

Chapel

Cannon, the tubular vambrace.

peak of the saddle.

d'acier, Fr. a steel

sword or

XIV

from XII to

war-hat.

broad-brimmed helmet used

a

Fr.

Chapel-de-fer,

Capel de nerfs, a whalebone or leather helmet,

XVI

cent.

Chapel de Montaiiban, Fr. a steel war-hat

cent. Capelina,

It.

Montauban,

a skull-cap of steel.

Capellum, the

sword sheath or scabbard.

Carcasse,

It.

Chausses, covering for the lower leg

balls

and shields.

Cartouche, Fr., a charge of

powder and shot wrapped

a cartridge.

Cherval, a gorget. Chastones, rivets.

classical design, late

Chianetta, a helmet, F.

Chiave da mota.

cent.

an open head-piece with brim and back

Casquetel,

Cheeks, the strips of iron that fix the pike-head to

Cheminee, Fr. the nipple of a gun.

open helmet, often of

XVI

Chaussons, trews or breeches of chain mail.

the shaft.

Carreau, Fr. see quarrel.

Casque,

and foot of

chain mail.

Carquois, Fr. a quiver.

j

a messenger.

the breastplate.

(^ mimic fight with clay

paper

worn by

Charnel, O.E. the bolt that fixed the tilting-helm to

a quiver.

Cornet, the visor.

in

at

Chard, the string of a sling.

Cargan, a collar or gorget of mail.

i'

made

cent.

Chopras, the brass badge

bomb.

Cardelli, It. see quarrel.

J'

XIV

Chapewe, see chapel-de-fer.

Caperuza, Sp. see chapel-de-fer. Carcasse, Fr. a

of

dagger sheath.

Cambrasia, O.It. a dart or arrow, F.

Cantle, the rear

G. repousse-work used

armour.

Camberia, see jambieres.

up

some kind of ordnance, G.

Cerveliera,

Cervicale, Fr. see crinet,

cent.

^ ^

157

peak reaching

far

down

the neck,

XVII

cent.

Chien, Fr.,

It.

key for a wheel-lock.

cock of a

Chiodo da voltare.

It.

firelock.

a turning-rivet.

Cataye, O.F. a javelin or a catapult, R.

some kind of firearm, variety unknown. on the helm. Cinqiiedea, It. a short, broad -bladed dagger for ceremonial use, made in Venice and Verona, five fingers {cinque ditto) wide at the base.

Catehpole,& long-handled spring fork used to catch the

Ciseau, a blunt-headed quarrel for the

Cassa,

the stock of a firearm.

It.

Castle,

Choque,

O.E. a variety of helmet.

\fa mail-clad m j u horse.

Cataffratto, •^

Cimier, the crest

i

'

Cataphractus eques,

opposing knight round the neck and unhorse him. the

Catocio,

charge

of

powder

for

musket or

cannon, F. Caxeo,

n

1

Clavel,

or the hauberk, G. Clavones, rivets.

see casque.

Claid heamh, a sword, Gaelic.

Claid mar, a broadsword, Gaelic.

Caxa,

" pan " of the arquebus. Sp. a helm worn for foot-jousts with

Cazoleta, Sp. the

Claid crom, a sabre, Gaelic.

Celada de

Claid

engole,

axe, sword, or spear. Celata,

crossbow, G.

O.F., a lace for fastening the coif of mail

It.

Celata Feneziana, a nose-piece,

It.

It.

a small sword, Gaelic.

see armet.

a Venetian form of sallad with

XV cent.

Scottish

a

above).

see sallad.

Celata da incastro.

cool,

Claymore,

two-hand

The modern

use

of

sword the

(see

word

erroneous. CItf, trigger.

Clevengi, studs to fasten the fendace or gorget.

is

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

158

Couvrenuque, Fr. the neck-plate of the back of the

of scale armour, G.

Clibanion, a jack,

armet or

Clipeus, It. a circular shield.

Clous perdus, Fr., false and useless rivet-heads found in

XVII-cent. armour.

Coche, the notch of an arrow, the nut of a cross-

Coda

Crakoes,

1

sallad.

sometimes used for poleynes and also for pointed shoes,

XIV

cent.

the

helm

for attaching

bolt

ing the crossbow.

di gambero, It. see lobster-tail.

Cravates, French

elbow-cop.

mounted

militia.

Codpiece, a piece of plate to protect the fore-body.

Cresta,

Coif de mailes, hood of chain mail, see camail.

Cresteria, Sp.

t crest of a helmet.

Crete, Fr.

)

swords invented by Kbnigsmark about

Colichemarde,

1661-86. Colet,

1

Coletin,

>

Collettin,

Crinet,

Sp. the plate of the helmet that covered

of the lance in some forms of hilt

I

tilting.

Cuissards,

leg-armour,

\

Cuisse,

\

Cuyshe,

)

see ranseur.

Culasse, the

Culet, kilt or skirt.

I

Coschewes, O.E. see cuisses. Costa, It. the

wings on the head of the war-mace.

O.F. a large

Cotta di maglia.

It.

knife,

"sword of Mercy" used

at

the Coronation.

V elbow-pieces of

Curtelaxe,

plate.

J

Coursel, Fr. windlass for a

Coussart, a demi-glaive,

Fr.

a knife

crossbow, G.

croc,

\

)

O.E. for cutlass.

Ciclaton, \ a

tight-fitting

surcoat shorter in front

Cyclas,

than behind,

XIV

cent.

dart,

R.

)

Cyseau, O.F. an

arrow or

XV cent.

D

and possibly a staff-weapon

Daburge, a ceremonial mace.

with cutting point, G. Coutel,

cent.

Curtana, the blunted

\

h

hand-gun or light piece of ordnance,

Curtale, O.It., a variety of cannon, F.

a coat of mail.

Coup de poing, Fr. a small pistol.

Coustil

breeches.

Culverin, a

Curatt, see cuirass.

R.

Cottyngyre, cold-chisel.

Coustile,

Cullotes, Fr.

XV, XVII

Coat-armour, see surcoat.

Coute,

and

breech of a gun.

Coscioni, \ see cuissard.

Coudiere,

cuisses

Cuissots, see cuisse.

"j

Coude,

comprising

thigh-pieces of plate.

Costale,

Coterel,

leather.

knee-cops and jambs.

of a sword, R.

Cuishe,

Cosciale,

moulded

boiled and

Cure-buly,

see bretelles.

It.

man made of

defences for horse and

on the

Corseque, Fr. a species of partizan, G. Corsesca,

plate.

Cz«V-foK///)i,"i

O.E. the rosette or button fixed

It.

a crossbow.

elbow-cop.

wards of

Corium, armour composed of leather.

O.F. the

gun or

Cuirass, body-armour, originally of leather, after-

Corale, see cuisses.

tip

moton.

Cubrenuca, Sp. see couvrenuque

Coracina, Sp. cuirass.

\

H.

armour for the hinder part of a horse.

Cubitiera, It.

helm or helmet.

the skull of a

Coronall, f

Croissante, see

Croupiere,

Cophia, a coif of mail. It.

armour for the horse's neck.

Crosse, the butt of a

see cutlass.

Coltellaccio, It.

tilting.

Criniere, see crinet.

see crinet.

Corregge,

when

Crochets de retraits, trail-hooks of a cannon,

a buff coat.

the nape of the neck.

Corpel,

support fixed from helm to back-

Cretu, O.F. a sword-breaker, R.

)

Cornel,

\

Crete-echelk, a

Fr. a gorget, also a jerkin.

Colodr'illo,

Coppo,

It.

plate to take the shock

Colletto, It.

Collo, It.

the

to

cuirass.

Cranequin, the wheel and ratchet machine for bend-

0.

Codole, Sp.

\

Crampon, a

Cnemide, Fr. see jambs.

bow,

Cracowes,

short, single-handed

two-edged blade.

sword with

Dag, Tag, a short Dague h couillettes,

pistol,

XVI-XVII

cent.

Fr. see balloch knife.

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS Dague h oreilks, a dagger with the pommel fashioned like two circular wings. Dague h rognons, Fr, a dagger with kidney-shaped projections above the quillons.

Escarcelas, Sp. tassets.

Escarpes, Sp. sollerets. Esclaivine,

O.F. a dart, R.

Escopette, a pistol or carbine

Dague a ruelle, Fr. a dagger with thumb-ring. Dard, Sp. javelin. Degen, Germ, sword, dagger. Demi-poulaine, pointed sollerets of

medium

length.

with a firelock, C.

Espada, Sp. a long sword. Espadin, Sp. a short sword.

Espaldar, Sp. pauldron.

Espare, O.F. a dart, R.

Demy-teste, O.E. a steel skull-cap, 0.

Espieu, see epieu.

Destrier, a war-horse.

Espingardier, an arquebussier, 0.

Esponton, Fr. see spontoon.

DAente, Fr. the trigger. Diechlime _,.

°

,.

^ Germ,

\

}

Dteltng

159

crossbow on wheels, a piece of

Espringale, a siege

see cuisse.

siege ordnance, G.

)

Dilge,

Germ, leg-guard for jousts. O.E. probably moulds or patterns on which armour was made. Dolch, Germ, poniard.

Espuello, Sp. spur.

Dabbles,

Estival,

Dolequin, a dagger, R.

Estoc, a thrusting

Doloire, a short-handled axe, G.

Estradiots,

Dolon, O.E. a club, R.

Estramafon, the edge of a sword, a sword-cut.

Dorso,

the back of a gauntlet.

It.

leg-armour for a horse

MSS.

;

;

exceedingly rare

only one example of this armour

exists, in Brussels.

sword.

Greek horsemen, temp. Charles VIII.

Etoupin, a quick-match.

Dos, Sp. back-plate of a cuirass. Dossiere, Fr. the back-piece of the cuirass. Dussach, Hungarian and

in

German sword of

Etriere, a military

flail,

G.

Etrier, Fr. stirrup. cutlass

Exsil,

O.F. the scabbard of a sword, R.

form.

E Falcione, It. see falk.

Ecrevisse, Fr. see lobster-tail.

Falda,

Ecu, Fr. shield. Ecouvillon,

Eisenhappe,

sponge of a cannon.

Germ, a skull-cap of Germ, see sollerets.

steel.

gauntlet, a

metal or leather glove with cufF

XVI, XVII

cent.

Elingue, O.F. a sling, R.

Germ,

Ellenbogenkachel,

Elmo

di giostra.

It.

arrow headed with tow, for incendiary

Faldaje, Sp. taces.

Elbow-cops, elbow-pieces of plate armour.

reaching to the elbow,

see taces.

purposes, G.

Eisenschuhe,

Elbow

It.

Falarique, an

see coude.

a tilting-helm,

Falk, a primitive

weapon formed of

fixed on a pole

j

a scythe-blade

a glaive.

wings on the blade of the twohand sword. Fan-plate, the " wing " on the outside of the kneeFalsaguarda, Sp. the

cop.

Fauchard, see glaive. Elsa,

\

Elso,

\ the hilt of a

sword or dagger, F.

Faucre, Fr. a lance-rest. Fautre, Fr. thigh-armour.

Elza,

)

Enarmes, the loops for holding a shield. Encoche, see coche. Enlace, see anelace.

Faux, see

falk.

Feather-staff, a staff in

Federzapfen, .

^^

'

Espaliere,

\

shoulder-defence, of plate.

Esca,

It,

Germ, spring-pins

drons are hung,

XVI

;

tinder,

a spear with crossbar or toggle, 6.

to

which the paul-

cent.

Fendace, a species of gorget,

J

Epaule-de-Monton, Fr. see poldermitton. Epieu, a spear

which are concealed spikes

released by a spring.

XV cent.

Feure, O.F. a scabbard, R. Fiancali, It. see tasset, also flanchard. Fioreti, It. a thrusting foil.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

160

the military

Flail,

implement, but

was of

iron instead

Flamhard,

,

E-; riamberge,

} )

7

was like the agricultural weapon of war the thresher of wood.

flail

as a

,

.

,

,

,

two-hand sword with wavy blade.

a

•'

Flamberg, Germ, rapier with

wavy

blade.

Flamhard, O.E. Flancoh,

armour Germ,

for the flanks of a

Fleau, Fr. military

see poire.

;

maker of arrows.

Fleuret, thrusting foil.

Flo,

arrow for distance shooting.

Forcina,

It. It.

a gun-fork.

It.

the hilt of a sword.

rammer of

l

Garrot,

f

and also for the

Gaveloc,

\

Gaveloche,

K

Gavelet,

)

Gavette,

It.

German form

articulated fingers.

a cannon.

O.F, a kind of lance, R.

Geldiere,

XV,

Genouillieres, jointed

a battle-axe or pole-axe.

Francisque, a long-handled axe, R.

XVI

Gentilhomme, a

XVI

an arrow.

Germ,

Freiturnier,

a joust run without a barrier,

cent,

cent.,

wooden cannon

Germ,

Ges'dfreifen,

O.F. a variety of arrows, R. Frog, the hanger of a sword-belt.

Ghiaxarino,

Fronde, Fr. a sling.

Gibet, a military

It.

see chamfron.

Fueille,

i^«j-//,

as practised in

barriers.

see jazerant.

mace.

box, also pouch.

Ginocchietti, see genouilliere.

see misericorde,

short musket with a firelock.

Fussturriier,

rein or loin guard.

Gibiciere, Fr. a cartridge

the blade of a sword, 0. It.

It.

bristling with spikes,

forms of the joust

Germany, run without

Fronteau, F. see chamfron.

Fusetto,

cent.

knee-pieces of plate.

G.

Gestech, various

Frete,

Frontale,

of joust in which the two opponents in succession. Germ, gauntlet with separate

challenger fought

Francesca,

It.

lever.

the string of the crossbow.

Genetaire, a javelin,

Freccia,

of the

a species of javelin.

France, O.F. a mallet or mace, R. It.

of the lock

rest

used for the quarrel of the crossbow

Garrock,

Gefingerte handschuh.

Fouchard, see glaive. Fouloir, the

the

arquebus (pan cover 0. Garde-collet, Fr. neck-guards on the pauldron.

Gedritts, a

a military fork for escalades.

Fornimento,

O.F.

Garde-ferre,

Genestare, O.F. a javelin, R.

O.E. arrow.

Forconi,

in tilting.

Gaudichet, O.F. a mail shirt.

flail.

Flechiere, see flanchard.

Flight, an

used

Garde-faude, Fr, see codpiece.

Garde-queue, Fr. the tail-guard of a horse.

fastened to the breast-piece which

wedge

took the shock of the shield

Fletcher, a

Garde-de-bras, reinforcing piece for the left arm,

Garde-rein, E.Fr. loin-guard of armour.

horse.

Flanqueras, Sp. Flaon, Fr. a

see jambs,

It.

.''),

Fr.

Flankenpanzer,

Gambiera,

Gardaignes, O.F. arms, clothing, etc., R.

Germ, joust on

foot,

XVI

weapon of the

Gisarme, a

staff"

Giostra,

joust.

It.

glaive order.

Glaive, a species of bill with a large blade. cent.

Fust, the stock of a firearm.

Glazing-ivheel, polishing-wheel for

Gliedschirm,

armour

plates.

Germ, see codpiece,

Goa£s-foat, a lever for

bending the crossbow,

Godbert, see hauberk,

Godendar,

knuckle or finger spikes fixed to the

Gadlings,

gauntlet.

Gaynpayne,

derives this from canepin, sheep

or goat leather, hence a glove of leather, mail, or plate. it

It.

Meyrick explains

as a sword.

Galapentin, O.F. a

Galea,

.

^

which

is

sabre, R.

a helm. cent.

XIII-XIV

Goiz, O.F, a sword, R.

Goletta ta. It,

gorget. j '

Gonpillon, Fr. see

XI

a spike,

\ a hedging-bill, 0.

Gola,,Sp,

sword or

Gamheson, a quilted tunic,

°'"'

,

a species of short club at the top of

Goudendar,

Gay Gagnepain,

Goedendag,

holy-water sprinkle. Gonfanon, Fr. a flag or standard.

cent.

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS Gorget,

\

Gorgiera,

P*^^^ ^'^^^^^ ^° protect the '^''°^^ XVIII cent. ; purely orna-

h

It. '

Sd

Gorial

''^

/->

f

17

Halebarde, Halbert,

\

mental.

I

Lrougent, rr.

weapon with crescentshaped blade on one side and a hook or spur on the other, surmounted by long-shafted

a.

I

^^^^

a spear-head

Harlbart,

/

tilting,

worn on

the left shoulder.

Gram

d'orzo,

chain mail closed with a rivet.

It.

a toothed ring on the

Grappes, Fr.

lance

Grappers, Grates,

block,

"grip" of the the weapon

the

wood

behind the lance

or lead

rest.

Gronda,

see couvrenuque.

o Grupera, op.

f )

see crupper. '^'^

Guardacorda, Guardacuore,

Guardagoletta,

see mentoniere.

the

It.

neck-guards on the paul-

drons.

to

XII

Fr. see gorget.

^

)

^

standard of mail.

mailes, Fr. see

a

Fr.

close-fitting

with points. Haute barde, Fr. a high-peaked saddle. Haute cloueure, Fr. high-proof armour, especially mail.

Guarda-o-rodillera, Sp. ^nee-cop.

Guardastancoy

It.

Guige, the strap

Hauste, O.F. the staff of a pike, R.

see grand-guard.

round the neck to carry the

shield,

cent.

"haustement" to cover those portions of the body not protected with plate armour; they were usually eight in number, viz. for armpits, inner side of elbows, knees

Guyders, straps to to

Heaume, a heavy helm without movable visor and only an eye-slit or occularium, mostly used for tilting.

O.F. a small buckler of leather, R.

Gusset, pieces of chain mail, tied with points to the

went

XI

cent.

_

Haustement,

see garde-queue.

It. It.

I

long

undergarment to which the hose and the chausses were fastened

ear-flaps of a burgonet.

It.

J

Hauscol de

Guardabrazos, Sp. see pauldron.

XII

Hars, O.F. a bow, R.

Haulse-col, ,, Hausse-col,

»

X

Guiterre,

Germ, the padded cap worn under

the tilting-helm.

Hauberk,

It.

Guanciali,

order, R. Harnischekappe,

Haubergeon, ] short shirt of chain mail,

shin-defence, of plate.

J

It.

Hampe, the staff of a halbert or pike. Hand and half sword, see bastard sword. Hansart, O.F. a missile weapon of the javelin

Harthstake, a rake or poker for the forge.

j-

Greba, Sp.

/->

held

\

Greve, Fr.

Groppa,

which

firmly against

Greave,

XV and XVI cent.

Germ, see gorget.

Halsberge,

Grand-guard, reinforcing piece for

sometimes found with

;

double blade,

Cossets, see gussets.

Graffe, Fr. a small dagger.

161

make up

and

insteps.

fasten the various pieces that

the suit of plate armour, also

Hendeure, Fr. the " grip " of the sword. Hentzen,

Germ, mitten

gauntlets.

Hinierarm, Germ, see rerebrace.

Germ, the back-plate of the pauldron. Germ, see garde-rein.

Hinterfluge,

Hinterschurz, Hobilers,

common

light-horse troopers.

Hoguines, see cuisse.

Holy-water

Gynours, the. servers of catapults and the like siege

of

sprinkle, a shaft

iron spike-studded ball,

gussets.

wood

XVI

fitted

with an

cent.

XV cent.

Horse-gay, a demi-lance,

Hosting harness, armour for war as distinct from

engines.

that of the joust. Hufken,2i\\gh.t.

H

Huvette,

Hackbuss, see arquebus.

Hake, demi-hake,

O.E

Fr.

stiffened

the former an arquebus, the

latter a short firearm,

XVI

head-piece

worn by archers, XVIcent.

Huque, a long surcoat worn over the armour, XVcent. a

head-piece

Hwitel, Anglo-Saxon, knife.

cent.

Hagbuttes, arquebus.

Haketon, see gambeson. see enarmes.

Halacret, see alacret.

Imbracciatura,

Halagues, crossbowmen, R.

Imbricated mail, see jazerant.

21

of leather

with wicker or metal,

It.

XIV

or cent.

cloth

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

162

Lance-rest, an adjustable

J

hook or

rest fixed

on the

right side of the breastplate. Jack, a loose-fitting tunic of leather, either quilted

or reinforced with plates of metal or horn.

Jamhers,

\

.

Jambeux,

,

J

Jamhojs, skirts of plate,

XVI

cent., see bases.

Jambs, armour for the lower leg.

la,

a jointless arm-piece of plate

on the back of the leg or

a cut

de,

Jazerant, body-armour

\

Landsknecht,

I

sword, and also German mer-

J

cenary infantry,

It.

It.

made of

small plates, of the

Germ, a large

cuisse for tilting.

di bue. It. see cinquedea.

combination of pike and match-holder,

Linstock, a

back peak of a helmet, or cuisses, made

Lobster-tail,

Jupon, a short surcoat,

cent.

XIV-XV

cent.

Lochaber axe, a long-shafted axe.

Justes ofpeace, jousts at barriers.

XVIII

Scottish,

from the heraldic

Germ, the neck-plate

the wrist, used

Kniebuckel,

Kniestuck,

for fighting at barriers,

XVI

cent.

in the front of an

steel war-hat,

XIV cent.

'knee-defences, of plate, first worn

Knee-cops,

lap

crest.

armet.

Kinnreff-,

which the over and fasten to a pin on

Locking gauntlet, a gauntlet of plate in finger-plates

Kamfhandschuhe, Germ, gauntlet.

wide-brimmed Germ, bevor.

of the sword

sheath with button for hanging to the belt.

the crest or ridge of the helmet as

Kettyl-hat, a

XVII,

cent.

Locket^ the metal socket at the top

K

Kehlstuck,

XVII

of overlapping lames like a lobster-shell,

Jeddartstaff, a long-shafted axe.

distinct

cent.

used by gunners for firing cannon.

brigandine type.

Kamm, Germ,

XVI

see goat's-foot lever.

Lendenplatte,

Lingua

a " hamstringing cut."

edged

a broad - bladed double -

Lansquenefte,

Leva,

reaching from shoulder to wrist. Jarnac, Coup

javelin.

It.

Lanzichenecco,

Janetaire, see javelin.

Jarnac, Brassard a

man, R.

Launcegay, Lanciotto,

see jambs.

V

O.F. a short spear, hence light horse-

Lancegay,

Loque, O.F. a quarter-staff, R. Luchet, O.F. an iron pike, R.

Luneta, Sp. rondel.

open sword-guard,

Lunette, Fr.

late

XVII

cent.

over chain-mail chaussons, and

Germ.-

M

afterwards with complete plate

Germ.

armour. Knuckle-bow, the part of the sword-guard that protects the knuckle.

Kragen, Germ, gorget. Krebs,

Germ, see

Lama,

It.

Maglia gazzarrina. It. see jazerant. Maglia piatta, It. see ringed mail. Mahenpanzer , Germ, see crinet. Maillet, Fr. a martel

tasset.

de

fer,

XIV

Main gauche, dagger used with

Lama

a

sword-blade.

biscia. It.

cent.

the left hand

when

the right hand held the sword.

see flamberge.

Maleus, a falchion, F.

Lamboys, see jamboys.

worn over the breast to hold chains to which the sword and dagger were

Mamillieres, circular plates

Lambrequin, a species of hood of cloth attached to the helmet with "points," and falling down at

XIV

attached,

cent.

the back to protect the wearer from heat and

Mancina,

It.

see main gauche.

rain.

Manetta,

It.

the trigger of a gun, also a spanner.

Lames,

narrow

strips

of steel

riveted

together

horizontally as in the taces.

Lance a

bo'ete,

a lance with blunted point.

Lance de carriere, a lance for Lance a

rouet,

ments, R.

tilting at

the ring, C.

or courtohe, blunted lances for tourna-

Manezza

diferro, an arming-gauntlet, P. Manicle, gauntlet.

Manico,

It.

Manoglia,

the grip of a sword.

It.

Manobla, Sp.

the handle of a small buckler. 1

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS Manteau iarmes,

a rigid cape-like shield fixed to

the left breast and shoulder for Mantling, see lambrequin.

Martel defer, Fr. » Martelh d'arme. It. / Martinetto,

tilting.

and

Murice, a caltrop, F. Musacchino, see pauldrons. It. projectiles used with the crossbow. Muserag, a missile weapon of some kind, F.

Muschetta,

war-hammer used by horse

a

163

foot.

Musoliera,

It.

a horse-muzzle.

\

{lozenge-shaped

N

of metal,

plates

sometimes overlapping, sewn upon a tunic of leather or quilted

Nackenschirm, Germ, neck-plate at the back of an

armet.

liiien,

XI, XII cent. (Meyrick).

Naide, anvil.

Massue, Fr. a mace or club.

Naitoules,

Matchlock, a firearm with touch-hole and fired with a match, early cent.

Nasal, a bar of steel fixed or movable on the front

XV

use during

armpit.

Neighletts, the dis-

Nowchys,

have been devised by the Emperor Maximilian d'arme.

Mazzafrustro,

I,

XVII

metal tags of the arming-points.

XV

and

ornaments

for

cent.

Noyeau, the core of a gun.

soufree,

war-mace.

It.

It.

see

flail,

O

also

morning

star.

Oberarmzeng, Germ, rerebrace.

a slow-match.

Occularium, the eye-slit in the helm.

Mell, see maule. Mentoniere, a piece used with the sallad to protect

Oreillettes,

Minion, a four-pounder,

XVI

war

/

Moresca,

It.

light

which the fingers

It.

the horse's It.

staff,

and

inverted

XV cent.

XIV-XV

hung by

Paefustum, a battle-axe,

cent.

bit.

cent.

Panart, O.F., a large knife, R, Pansier, Fr. the lower portion of the cuirass

formed of two Panzer, body-armour, it is

Panziera,

It.

when

pieces.

XI-XIV

cent.

see codpiece.

Parement, a surcoat or ceremonial dress of rich fabric.

Parma,

Moulinet, the windlass used for drawing the cross-

bow.

XV cent.

Panache, Fr. the plume of feathers on the helmet. a

see matchlock.

Moyenne, see minion.

brass or latten, used for edging armour,

Palet, a small skull-cap of cuir-bouilly or steel.

Mostardo, a musket, F. Moton, plates to protect the armpits, especially the

XIV

F.

Palettes, circular plates to protect the armpits.

crest

spike-studded ball

chain from a short

Moschetto,

are

not separate.

helmet with a

It.

etc.,

coup de grace.

see taces.

star,

S.

horse, R.

crescent brim, latter end of

Morning

Ottone,

cent.

dagger used for the

Mitten-gauntlet, \g&\ini\et in

Morion,

Abbey of

Ospergum, see hauberk.

a gun-match.

It.

crest.

Denis used by the kings of France.

Migerat, O.F. a dart or arrow, R.

Mittene,

the later forms of

Oriflamme, the ancient banner of the

Mezail, Fr, visor.

Missodor, O.F. a

in

helmet immediately beneath the

Meris, O.F. a javelin, R. Meusel, Germ, see elbow-cop.

Misericorde, short

found

wreath or twisted scarf worn on the

the

Orle,

Merlette, O.F. a sergeant's staff, R.

It.

ear-pieces,

the casque and burgonet.

chin and breast.

right,

revived afterwards in

cent.

Mazza

Morso,

cent.,

embossed buckles

armour,

tinguished by shallow vertical flutings, said to

Miccia,

XI

cent.

Maule, a mace or club. Maximilian armour, a style of plate armour

Meche

rivets.

of the helmet to protect the nose, in more general

Mattucashlass, a Scottish dagger carried under the

XVI

some appliance for closing

.

p

It.

a small shield or buckler. T

.

f

' "1

.

'

I

^ long-shafted

weapon with broad-

pointed blade, in form allied to the pike and the halbert.

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

164

O.E. gorget, F.

Partlet,

Pas d'dne, Fr. loops of bar steel immediately over the cross-hilt of the sword. Pasguard, a reinforcing piece for the left elbow, used

in tilting.

Passe-garde,

Fr.

the French, following Meyrick,

joust.

Pied de

biche,

Fr. see goat's-foot lever.

Pied de chevre, a crowbar. Pih, a long-shafted weapon used by footmen only. It had a lance-like head, and was shod at the receive cavalry,

Passadoux, a Gascon arrow, C.

Pate/et, a

XIV-XVIII

XVI

pasguard.

cent.

the head of the arrow. a large dagger or knife, F.

Patrel, see poitrel.

Pistolese,

Patron, a case for pistol cartridges.

Pizane, Fr. breastplate.

sword or dagger.

Placard,

a reinforcing

\

Pauldrons, shoulder-pieces of plate.

Placcate, i

Pavade, a long dagger.

Plater, the

Pavache, Fr. shield

large

a

used

by

bowmen.

Pavise,

upper portion of the formed of two pieces.

flag.

form of breastplate made with a central and pointed slightly downward at the

ridge,

lower extremity, a

Pectoral,

XVII

cent.

1

Pill,

J

a

mail.

See

also

worn on

It.

Penacho, Sp.

a

mail cape or collar.

It.

Pair

of,

back and breast

Plommee,

Fr.

a

of a firelock.

leaden

used

banner

by

knights

bachelor and esquires.

holy-water

also

Poire, Fr. a pear-shaped button

Peto, Sp. breastplate.

breast,

Petail matres, a large-headed dart or arrow, R.

with a

(the

common

held

at the chest is erroneous).

explanation that

it

flint

or pyrites

was discharged

Poitrel,

XVI

breast-armour for a horse.

Poldermitton, a defence for the inner

bend of the

right arm, used in the joust.

axe with beak and spear

point.

Petto, It. breastplate.

Poleynes, see knee-cops,

Peytral, the breastplate of a horse.

Polion,

Pezonaras, Sp. see bossoirs.

Germ, embossed armour

puffed silk or velvet,

the left

to

cent.

Pole-axe, a long-shafted

Pettiera, It. see peytral.

through which the

passed that held the shield

laces

Petronel, a short firearm fired

securing the gussets of mail to the

undergarment, and also the lambrequin to the helm.

Pertuisan, Fr. partizan.

XVI

Pheon, a barbed javelin used

to imitate

cent.

by the sergeant-at-

some

XIII-XIV

cent.

part of the crossbow.

Pommel, the finishing knob of the sword-grip the fore peak of the saddle.

;

also

Pompes, see poleynes. Pontale, the

chape of a sword or dagger

;

also the

tag on an arming-point or lance, P.

arms. It.

;

stamp or trade-mark of the armourer.

Points, laces for

Pentina, O.I. a short pike, F.

Pkca,

mace

Poignard, a dagger.

'"" PO'^'e-panache.

pointed

Pfeifenharnisch,

XIV-XV

plates,

cent.

Poinfon, the

)

}

of plate, usually circular

sprinkler.

Pellegrina di maglia.

Pennacchiera,

when it is

cuirass

the breast under or over the hauberk.

Platine, Fr. the lock

by the Norman

stake used

sharpened peasants.

Pennon,

Plastren-de-fer, a defence

Plates,

of

defence

breast

peytral. Pell,

Germ, armourer.

Plastron, the

Pavon, a large triangular

XVI-XVII

armour. Plainer,

Pavois d'assout, O.F.

Peascod, a

breastplate,

cent.

maker of armour plates as distinct from armourer who made up the plates into

the

Pavesche,

upright on the

pauldrons, on the left side, erroneously called

Pile,

Patula, a short

cent.

Pike-guard, a ridge of metal set

crossbow, 0.

O.F. a dagger, R. padded vest worn under armour,

Passat,

the

butt-end with iron for fixing in the ground to

use this word wrongly for neck-guards. Passe, the rack for stringing the

for

pieces

reinforcing

of advantage,

Pieces

see pike.

Piciere, Fr. see peytral.

Porte-panache, Fr. the plume-holder Posolino, It. see croupiere.

on the helmet.

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS broad-brimmed helmet worn by pikemen,

Poty a

XVII

cent.

A la,

Poulaine,

XIV

sollerets

with extremely pointed

toes,

cent.

Pourpoint, a

padded and quilted garment of leather

or linen.

with metal studs

at

the intersection of the quilting seams. Pryie-spur, a spur with a single point 1 ^

see gisarme.

It.

,,

XV-XVI

cent.

circular plate protecting the armpit

Rondel,

\

Rondelle, Fr.

/

also at the

back of early armets.

Rondel of the guard, possibly a vamplate.

Germ, see chamfron.

Ross-stirn,

Rotel'a',11.]''''''^''^^''^'''^^-

,

Rotellina da bracciale.

Pully-pieces, \

rusane, Pusane,

Roncone,

and no rowel.

PugnakJ^'-^^^^^^^^SS^'Putty-pieces,

O.F. a spur, B, O.F. a buckler or small shield.

Rondache, a circular shield,

Pourpointerie, quilted material

Pugio,

Rodeie, Roelle,

165

rondel.

It.

Germ, back-plate of the cuirass. Rusthaken, Germ, lance-rest. Rustred mail, see banded mail (Meyrick). Rustung, Germ, armour. R&chenstuck,

'^' P'^^^^'^'-

)

\

Puzane, I «^^ P'^^"^"

Q Quadrelle,

It.

a small

mace with

leaf-like projections,

also quarrel.

Sabataynes,\ i-O.E. see sollerets. c 7 .

Quarrel, the bolt or projectile used with the cross-

bow. Quetyll,

J

Sacheboute,

O.E. a knife.

cuirass to take the butt-end of the lance

held in

when

Salade,

XVI

J

cent.

O.F. stirrup.

Scarpa a

d^anatra.

becco

It.

Scarpa a punta articolata.

R

Scarpa a pik

Scarsellone, It. see tasset.

Ranfort, the reinforce ring of a cannon.

Schalern,]^^''^-'''^^^^-

Ranseur, a large trident with sharpened blades set

Schamkapsel,

on a long shaft Rennen,

German

;

Schale,

a species of partizan.

\

Germ, see bravette. Germ, skull of the helmet. Germ, the lower part of the

jousting courses with sharp spear-

Schembart,

visor, the

ventail.

RennhuUchraube, Germ, see crete-echelle.

Schenhehchiene,

armour for the upper arm. Rest of advantage, some detail of armour forbidden in jousts of the XVI cent.; possibly some kind

Schiavona,

Rerebrace,

Resta

\

Sp. / Ricasso, the squaring of

formed of

flat

the base of the sword-

rings

sewn

side

by

on a tunic of leather or quilted linen, XI Rivet, a suit of armour ; afterwards the small

side

cent.

it

see cuishe.

the back-plate of the cuirass.

Germ,

see holy-water sprinkle.

jambs.

dag or

pistol,

F.

Germ, student's fencing-sword. Schulterschild, Germ, see grand-guard. Schulterschild mit Rand, Germ, a pauldron with neckSchlaeger,

blade next above the quillons.

that hold

It.

Schiesspriigel,

Schioppo, O.I. a

.

muelle,

mail,

Schtena,

Germ,

a basket-hilted cut-and-thrust sword.

It.

Schiniere, It. see

of lance-rest.

Ringed

see poulaine.

Scheitelstuck,

head.

Restra de

see bear-paw. It.

see bear-paw.

d'orso. It.

O.F. a kind of arrow, R. an unknown type of arquebus.

Raillon,

worn

Sbalzo, It. see cesello.

Quilliom, the cross-hilt of the sword.

Rainoise,

at the back,

with or without visor and mentoniere, J-

Sautoir,

Sp. see cuisse.

\

Salett,

Sallad,

rest.

O.F. a horseman's lance, B.

casque or helmet, F. helmet with wide brim

Sagetta, a

Queue, a projecting hook on the back-piece of the

Quijotes,

isabatons,

together.

Rochet, the blunt lance-point for jousting.

nails

guard attached. Schwanzel,

\

Schwanzriempanzer, f Schivebescheibe,

Germ,

Sciabola, It. sabre.

Germ,

the

horse. see vamplate.

tail-guard

of

a

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

166

Scure d^arme, SeaiCy

battle-axe.

It.

a dagger.

Secreta,\?L Secrete,

thin

steel

XVI-XVII

/

Germ, a ribbed tilting-shield used in " gestech " courses. the Stinchieri, O.It. armour for the shin, F. Stirnstulp, Germ, the upper part of the visor of an Stechtarsche,

Scudo, It. a triangular shield.

cap worn

under the

hat,

armet.

cent.

O.E.

anvil.

Sella d^arme. It. war-saddle.

Stithe,

O.F. a scimitar, R. Serpentina, It. the cock of a matchlock.

Striscia, It, rapier.

Semitarge,

Germ, see

Setzschild,

Sturmhaube,

Germ,

pointed lances,

variety of joust with sharp-

XVI

Sharfrennentarsche,

it

heraldically.

shield-like reinforcing

Sword-breaker, a short heavy

piece for the above joust. Shell-guard, a

garment worn over the armour to protect from sun and rain, and usually blazoned

Surcoat, a

cent.

Germ, a

see burgonet.

O.E. see sollerets.

Supeters,

Shaffron, see chamfron.

Sharfrennen,

Germ,

Sturmwand, Germ, see pavise.

pavise.

sword with back edge

toothed for breaking opponent's sword, XVI cent.

form of sword-guard.

Swyn-feather, see feather-stafF.

Sfondagiaco, It. see misericorde.

Sisarmes, see gisarme.

Slaughsword,

two-hand sword carried by the

a

IV

whifBer,

cent.

on the upper plate and

Sliding rivet, a rivet fixed

moving

on the lower plate. Snaphaunce, an early form of flint-lock

Tabard, the armorially emblazoned coat heralds

in a slot

which

in

thigh-defence

a.

similar

to

German

the

diechling. Sofione, It. a

Spada,

cuirass.

Tache, O.E. strap. Talevas, Sp. shield.

musket or

Tapul, the vertical ridge in the centre of

caliver.

shoes of laminated plate, usually pointed.

Sollerets,

It.

Spadone,

sword.

Spadroon, flat-bladed

sword

Targe, a small circular shield. for cut-and-thrust.

pauldrons.

Spallacci, It.

Spalliere, Fr. see

some kind of engine of war, R. Germ, a small shield or targe. Tartschen, Germ, see ailettes. Tarques, O.F.

Tartsche,

pauldrons.

Spasmo, O.It. a dart or javelin, F.

Spetum,

some forms

of breast-piece. Tarcaire, O.F. a quiver, R.

a long sword.

It.

worn by

see also surcoat.

laminated plates at the lower edge of the

Taces,

the pan has to be uncovered before firing. Sockets,

;

Tassets, plates,

usually lozenge-shaped, attached

strap and buckle to the

\ see ranseur.

taces

to

by

protect the

^

upper or front surface of the thigh.

Spiede, It. /

Spight, a short or flight Spigo, O.It.

arrow.

Taurea, O.It. a buckler of bull's hide, F.

the plume-holder of a helmet, F.

Splint armour,

narrow overlapping plates

to armour made of large plates. Sprtght, a wooden arrow discharged from

Tegulated armour, overlapping tile-like square plates,

Tertiare, to

a gun.

Springal, see espringale. Spontoon,

end of XII cent. (Meyrick). " third " the pike, i.e. to shorten either

opposed

as

for shouldering or for receiving cavalry. Tesa,

a half-pike carried

by

officers,

XVIII

It.

Tester,

„

the shade or brim of the burgonet.

O.E. -

.

1 >

,

r

see chanrron.

lesttera, It. )

cent.

Squarcina, O.It. a short

sword or

cutlass, F.

Standard of mail, a collar of chain mail, Stecca, It. the locket of a dagger.

Testiere, Fr. a

metal skull-cap

;

also the chanfron of

a horse,

Staffa, It. stirrup.

XV cent.

of combat for duels. Germ, heavy tilting-helm. Germ, jousting course with coronal-tipped

Tetriere, Fr. see tester.

Steccata, It. the place

Stechhelm, Stechen,

lances.

Ttlt,

the barrier used to

jousting, XlVcent. and

cloth

;

later,

of wood.

separate knights

onwards ;

first,

when

a stretched

POLYGLOT GLOSSARY OF WORDS Timbre, Fr. the skull of a helmet.

Arhakit

Tthles,

of a boar-spear. In modern use a button for joining two ends of a strap or thong.

Tolys,

formed

tools.

box

for flint and steel carried

(

\

Fr '

'

°^

^^^J knights

in

the

opposed to the joust or single combat at barriers.

'"*'*

I

Tournicle d'eschaille,

^®

Fr.

a

small tunic or a large

gorget composed of overlapping scale armour. Toyle, a contrivance fixed over the right cuisse to hold the lance when carried upright ; a lance bucket.

Ventaglio,It

Trubrico, Sp. blunderbuss. It.

armour,

of metal in the

linen

or

leather with and having studs

on the bascinet to which the was laced. Vireton, an arrow for the crossbow with curving wings, to produce a spinning motion. Visera, It.

that part of the helmet, movable or fixed, Visor,

which protects the

Volet,

or arming-points.

an arrow or dart.

Germ, the front plate of the pauldron. Germ, see placcate. Voulge, a weapon somewhat similar to the Lochaber axe ; used mostly by the peasants. Vorhelm,

Voyders, see gussets.

Trumeliire, Fr. see jamb.

Voyding

Tuck, see estoc.

Vuiders,]

„

Fr. see tassets.

knife, a

knife for disembowelling deer.

Y see gussets.

,

Vuyders,]

Fr. small tassets as on tomb of Rich. Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick,

Tutlette,

W

Turcasso, It, quiver.

a

possibly a

Vorderfluge,

one piece sewn upon

a heavy pistol, blunderbuss.

Turves, probably

;

the round disc at the back of the armet.

Volet, Fr.

Trousse, Fr, a quiver.

Tuile,

eyes.

Sp.J

Vor-arm, Germ, see vambrace.

the brigandine. It.

it is

spring breastplate.

openings (Meyrick).

Tr'ihbed scales, triple scales in

Trombone,

when

parts.

Volant-piece, reinforcing piece for the tilt to protect

trellis-wise

trellis

Tresses, plaited laces

two

the breast and lower half of the face

quilted

sewn

in

carvail

see visor.

leather bands

made

Vervelles, the staples

Trapper, horse-trappings of fabric or mail.

TreUised

fixed

Ventalle, Sp.

Vista,

Traguardo,

cent.

Greek helmet with

evolved from the bascinet.

Ventail, Fr,

'^°"'^*'^

^

XV-XVI

of the

the lower part of the visor

by the musket, Tournev

a horse-soldier's coat, F.

like the ancient

visor, but

Touch-box, probably a

Tournois

Velette, O.It.

Venetian sallad, a sallad

tilt.

O.E.

foot-soldiers, possibly a

voulge.

Togg/e, the cross-bar

Toik, see

weapon used by

Vedoil, a

Fr. windlass crossbow.

at,

167

turban

or orle

worn on

the

Wafter, English

dummy

blade for fencing,

XVI

cent.

helmet,

Wambais, see gambeson,

U

Wappen Welsches

Umbo, the boss upon a shield, Umbril, the shade or brim of head-pieces of

XVII

cent,

Uncin,

rock.

Unterarmzeug, Germ, vambrace. Usbergo, O.It. breastplate, vamplate, F.

for

tilt

the

Italian

or barrier with

blunted lance.

way

Uncino, O.It. a broad-pointed arrow, a hook, F.

a cloak decorated heraldically.

German name

course of jousting over the Whiffler, a

war pickaxe.

Germ,

gestech,

two-hand swordsman

who

cleared the

in processions.

Wifie, a practice-sword, possibly a two-hander.

Winbrede, \

^,«W,}^^^g^Snepam. Wire

hat, see coif.

V Vambrace, the plate defence for the fore-arm. Vamplate, a circular shield through which the tilting

and war lances were fixed above the grip.

Zucchetto, It. a species

of burgonet,

XVII

Zweyhander, Germ, two-handed sword.

cent.

APPENDIX A DOCUMENT FROM THE RECORDS OF THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY, LONDON,

1322

This

is a regulation that no armourer should attempt to sell Bascuettes (Bascinets) covered with fabric, but should show them uncovered, so that the workmanship might be seen and approved.

ARMOURERS' COMPANY OF LONDON Lib. C, fol. 33, 15

Edw.

II,

1322

Edward ye Second Be

remembered that in ye hustinge of comon plaes holden ye Mondaie in ye feaste of ye conversion of Saint Paule, ye yere of ye reigne of our Lord ye king Edward, ye son of king Edward, xv th., in ye presence of Sir Hamen de Chigewelle then Maior, Nicholas de farringdon and by assent of Hugh de Auggeye, &c. Armorers. It is was ordeyned for ye comon proffyt and assented that from henceforth all Armor made in ye Cytie to sell be good and convenable after ye forme that henceforth That is to saie that an Akton and Gambezon covered with sendall or of cloth of Silke be stuffed with new clothe of cotten and of cadar and of oldn sendal and not otherwise. And that ye wyite acketonnes be stuffed of olde lynnen and of cotAlso forasmuch as men have founde tone and of new clothe wth in and wth out. old bascuette broken and false now newly covered by men that nothing understand of ye mystery wh be putt in pryvie places and borne out into ye contrye out of ye said Cytie, to sell and in ye same citie of wh men may not gaine knowledge whether they be good or ill, of ye wh thinge greate yill might fall to ye king and his people, and a greate slaunder to ye Armorers aforesaid and to all ye Cytie. It is ordeyned and assented that no Farrar ne other man that maketh ye Irons of bascuette hereafter so to be covered no bascuett by himself to sell be free but that he shall sell out of his hande will open and ungarnished as men have used before this tyme. And ye which shall abide ungarnished until they be sene by the myor that shall be sworn or by ny And there be found in any of Cz'ens whether they be convenable to garnishe or no. Court of Armorers or else where in wch Court is Armor for to sell, whatsoever it be, that is not proffytable or otherwise than is ordeyned and none be it taken and brought before ye Maior and Aldermen and hys Czens to be demed good or ill after And for the wch thing well and lawfully to be kept and surveyed their discretion. Roger Savage Willm. De LangguU, Richard Johonnez (John Conny) being sworne. And if they myor may not attend that ij of them Do that longeth thereto. ffirst it is a general Article ordeyned for all ye crafte of London and Fol. 135. centred iti ye Chamber of ye Guildhall of ye said City in ye booke wth ye letter 22

it

169

170

C

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

ye xxxv leafFe in ye tyme of Adam Bury Maior, in ye yere of ye reigne of king Ed. ye thirde after ye conquest. Lib. V. xd. It is ordeyned that all ye crafte of ye citie of London be truely ruled and governed every person in his nature in due maner so that no falsehood ne false workemanshipp nor Deceipt be founde in no maner wise in any of ye foresaid crafte for ye w^orshipp of ye good folke of all ye same crafte and for the comon profFytt of ye people. in

APPENDIX B REGULATIONS OF THE HEAUMERS, City of

The

London

Letter

21

Book F,

EDWARD

III,

1347

fol. cxlii

Points of the Articles touching the trade of Helmetry accepted by Geffrey de Wychingham, Mayor, and the Aldermen at the suit and request of the folks of the said trade :

In the

place that no one of the said trade shall follow or keep seld of the trade aforesaid within the franchise of the City of London until he shall have first

properly bought his freedom, according to the usages of the said City, on pain of losing his wares. Also forasmuch as heretofore some persons coming in who are strangers have intermeddled and still do intermeddle in the making of helmetry, whereas they do not know the trade, by reason whereof many great men and others of the realm have been slain through their default, to the great scandal of the said trade It is ordained that no person shall from henceforth intermeddle with or work at helmetry if he be not proved to be a good, proper, and sufficient workman by the Wardens of the said trade on pain of forfeiture to the use of the Chamber. Also that three or four if need be of the best workmen of the said trade shall be chosen and sworn to rule the trade well and properly as is befitting for security and safety of the great men and others of the realm, and for the honour and profit of the said City and of the workers of the said trade. Also that no apprentice shall be received by any master of the said trade for less than seven years and that without collusion or fraud on paying to the said :

;

Chamber 100

shillings.

Also that no one of the said trade or other person of the Franchise shall set any stranger to work who is of the said trade if he be not a proper and lawful person, and one for whom the master will answer as to his good behaviour, on pain of paying to the said Chamber 20 shillings. Also that no apprentice of the said trade who shall be indebted to his master in any sum of money at the end of his term shall serve henceforth any other person than his own master, nor shall he depart from such service or be into the service of another person in any way received until he shall have fully given satisfaction for his And he who shall receive in any other manner the servant or debt to his master. apprentice of another person shall pay to the said Chamber 20 shillings. Also that helmetry and other arms forged by the hammer which are brought from the parts without this land beyond the seas, or from any other place unto the said City for sale, shall not from henceforth be in any way offered for sale privily 171

172

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

openly until they have been properly assayed by the aforesaid Wardens and marked with their mark, on pain of forfeiting such helmetry and arms to the said Chamber as shall be so offered for sale. Also that each one of the makers aforesaid shall have his own mark and sign, and that no one of them shall counterfeit the sign or mark of another on pain of losing his freedom until he shall have bought the same back again and made satisfaction to him whose sign he shall have so counterfeited, and further he shall pay to the or

Chamber 40

shillings.

Wardens of the same

trade chosen and sworn,

Robert de Shirwode, Richard Bridde, Thomas Canoun.

APPENDIX C TREATISE OF WORSHIP IN ARMS, BY JOHAN HILL, ARMOURER TO

HENRY

VI,

1434

TRAYTESE OF THE POYNTES OF WORSHIP IN ARMES BY JOHAN HYLL, ARMORER SERGEANT IN THE KINGE'S ARMORY 1434 Bod. Lib., Ashmole. MS. 856,

art.

22, pp.

376-83

Too my leve Lordes here nowe next folowinge is a Traytese compyled [376] by Johan Hyll Armorier Sergeant in the office of Armory wt. Kinges Henry ye 4th and Henry ye 5th of ye poyntes of Worship in Armes and how he shall be diversely Armed & gouverned under supportacion of faveurof alle ye Needes to coverte adde & amenuse where nede is by the high comandement of the Princes that have powair so for to ordeyne & establishe The first Honneur in Armes is a Gentilman to fight in his Souverain Lords quarell in a bataille of Treason sworne withinne Listes before his souverain Lorde whether he be Appellant or Defendant ye honneur is his that winneth ye feelde. As for the appellant thus Armed by his owne witte or by his counsaille wch is assigned to him before Conestable & Marchall ye wch Counsaille is ordeyned & bounden to teche hym alle maner of fightynge & soteltees of Armes that longeth for a battaile sworne And the First hym nedeth to have a paire of hosen of corde wtoute vampeys saide hosen kutte at ye knees and lyned wtin wt Lynnen cloth byesse as the hose is A payre of shoen of red Lether thynne laced & fretted underneth wt whippecorde & persed, And above withinne Lyned wt Lynnen cloth three fyngers in brede double & byesse from the too an yncle above ye wriste. And so behinde at ye hele from the Soole halfe a quarter of a yearde uppe this is to fasten wele to his Sabatons And the same Sabatons fastened under ye soole of ye fote in 2 places hym nedeth also a petycote of an ovei'body of a doublett, his petycote wt oute sieves, ye syses of him And that other part noo ferther thanne [377] quarters aboute wt outen coler. 3

ye waste wt streyte sieves and coler and cutaine oylettes in ye sieves for ye vaunt bras and ye Rerebrase Armed in this wise First behoveth Sabatouns grevis & cloos quysseux wt voydours of plate or of mayle & a cloos breche of mayle wt 5 bokles of stele ye tisseux of fyne lether. And all ye armyng poyntes after they ben knytte & fastened on hym armed that ye poyntes of him be kutte of And thanne a paire of cloos gussetts strong sclave not drawes and thatye gussets be thre fingers withinne his plates at both assises And thanne a paire of plattes at

XX

li

lib

weight

his breste

&

his plats

enarmed 173

to

wt wyre

or

wt poyntes,

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

174

A pair of Rerebraces shitten withinne the plates before wt twi forlockes and behinde wt thre forlocks. A paire of vaunt bras cloos wt voydours of mayle & fretted. A pair of gloves of avantage wche may be devised. A basnet of avauntage for ye listes

not goode for noon other battailles but man for man save that hath noo lawe, the basnet locked baver & vysour locked or charnelled also

whiche

necessitie

to ye brest

&

whanne he

is

is

behynde wt two forlockes. thus armed & redy to come

And

this

to ye felde

Gentilman appellent aforesaide do on hym a cote of armes of

sengle tarten ye beter for avauntage in fighting. And his leg barneys covered alle wt reed taritryn the wche ben called tunictes for he coverynge of his leg barneys is doen because his adversarie shal not lightly espye his blode. And therefore also hen his hosen reed for in alle other colours blode wol lightly be seyne, for by the oolde

such a bataile there shulde noo thing have be seyn here save his basnett & his And thanne tye on hym a payre of besagewes. Also it fitteth the [378] foresaide counsaille to goo to ye kyng the daye before ye bataille & aske his logging nigh ye listes. Also ye foresaide Counsaille must ordeyne hym the masses ye first masse of ye Trinitie ye seconde of ye Holy Goste & ye thirde of owre Ladye or elles of what other sainte or saintes that he hath devocion unto And that he be watched alle that night hym that he is watched and light in his Chambre alle that night that his counsaille may wite how that he slepeth. And in ye mornyng whanne he goeth to his Masses that his herneys be leyed at ye North end of ye Auter and covered wt a cloth that ye gospell may be redde over it and at ye laste masse for to be blessed wt ye preist and whanne he hath herde his Masses thanne to goo to his dyner. And soo to his Armyng in ye forme aforesaide. And whanne he is armed and alle redy thanne to come to ye feelde in forme to fore rehersed, thanne his counsaille bounden to counsaille hym & to teche hym how he shal gouverne hym of his requests to ye kyng or he come into ye feelde and his entrie into ye felde and his gouvernance in the feelde for ye saide Counsaille hath charge of hym before Constable and Mareschal til that Lesses les aller be cryed. The whiche requestes ben thus that ye saide Appellant sende oon his counsaille to the kyng for to requeste hym that whanne he cometh to ye barrers to have free entrie wt his counsaille Confessour & Armorers wt alle maner of Instruments wt breede & wyne hymself bringing in in an Instrument that is to saye a cofre or a pair of bouges. Also their fyre cole & belyes and that his chayre wt [379] certaine of his Servants may be brought into ye feelde and sette up there the houre of his comyng that it may cover hym and his counsaille whanne he is comen into ye feelde this forsaide gentilman Appellant comyng to ye Listes whether he wol on horsebak or on fote wt his counsaille Confessour & other Servaunts aforesaide havyng borne be fore hym by his counsaille a spere a long swerde a short swerde & a dagger fastined upon hymself his swerdes fretted and be^sagewed afore ye hikes havyng noo maner of poyntes for and ther be founden that day on hym noo poyntes of wepons thanne foirre, it shall tourne hym to gret reproof. And this gentilman appellant that come to ye barrers at ye Southeest sone, his visier doune And he shal aske entrie where shal mete hym Constable and Mareschal and And he shal saye I am suche a man & telle his name to aske hym what art thou. make goode this day by ye grace of God that I have saide of suche a man and tell hys name bifore my Souain Lord and they shal bidde hym putte up his visier and

tyme

in

gloves.

APPENDIX C whanne he hath put up his counsaille before

175

open the barters and lette hym inne and Armorers & his servaunts shal goo streight

his visier they shal

hym & wt hym

his

wyne & alle his instruments that longe unto hym save weppons. And whanne he entreth into the felde that he blesse hym soberly and so twys or he come to before his Souverain Lord And his Counsailles shall do thair obeisaunce before thair souverain Lord twys or they come to the degrees of his scaffolde and he to obeye him wt his heed at both tymes Then whanne they to fore thair souverain Lord they shal knele a downe and he also they shal aryse or he aryse he shal obeye hym at his heed to his souverain Lord and then aryse and whanne he is up on his feete he shal blesse hym and turne hym to his chayre and at the entryng of his chayr [380] soberly tourne hym his visage to his souverain Lord wards and blesse hym and thanne tourne hym againe and soo go into his chayre and there he maye sitte hym downe and take of his gloves and his basnet and so refresh hym till the houre of hys Adversarie approche wt breed and wyne or wt any other thing that he hath brought in wt hym. And whanne the Defendaunt his Adversarie cometh in to the feelde that he be redy armed againe or that he come into the feelde standing withoute his chayre taking hede of his Adversaries comyng in and of his countenance that he may take comfort of. And whanne the defendant his Adversarie is come int ye felde and is in his chayre thanne shal the kyng send for his wepons and se him and the Conestable and the Marschal also and if they be leefuU they shal be kept in the feelde & kutte the same day by ye comaundement of the kyng and the Conestable and Mareschal in ye kynge's behalve. And thanne fitteth to the foresaide counsaille to arme hym and to make hym redy against that he be called to his first 00th and whanne he is called to his first oothe thanne fitteth it to alle his counsaille to goo wt hym to his first 00th for to here what the Conestable and Mareschal seyen unto hym and what contenaunce he maketh in his sweryng And whanne he hath sworne they shl ryse up by ye comaundement of the Conestable and Mareschal. And whanne he is on his feete he shal obey hym to his Souverain Lord and blesse hym and thanne turne hym to his chayre his visage to his souveraine Lord wards and in his goinge blesse hym twys by ye weye or he come to his chayre. And at ye [38 1] entryng to his chayre soberly tourne hym his visage to his Souverain Lord wards and blesse hym and soo go into his chayre. Thanne fitteth it to his fore saide Counsaille to awayte where the defendaunt shal come to his first 00th and that they be ther as sone as he for to here how he swereth for he must nedes swere that al that ever th appellant hath sworne is And if he wol not swere that every worde & every sillable false substance and alle. of every worde substance and alle is false the Counsaille of ye saide appellant may right wisly aske jugement by lawe of Civile and raison of Armes forafter ye juge is sette there shulde noo plee be made afore hym that daye. And if so be that the Defendant swere duly thanne ye Counsaille of the foresaide And Appellant shal goo to his chayre agayne and abide ther til they be sent for. here how he second Ooth and swereth and to hys hym bringe shal they thanne chayre againe in the forme whanne he hath sworne they shal goo wt hym to hys And whanne he is in his chayre the saide Counsaille shal awayte whanne aforesaide. ye Defendaunt cometh to his seconde ooth and here how he swereth and if he swere under any subtil teerme cantel or cavellacion the foresaide Counsaille of th appellant to his chayer his

wt

his breed his

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

176

may

And if he swere duely thanne shal ye Counsaille of ye goo to his chayre againe and abide there til they be sent for. And thanne shal they brynge hym to his thirde ooth and assuraunce. And whanne they be sworne and assured the saide appellant wt his Counsaile shal goo againe to his chayre in the fourme afore saide and there make [382] hym redy and fastene upon hym his wepons and so refresche hym til ye Conestable and Mareschal bid hym come to ye feeld. Thanne shal his Armorers and his Servaunts voyde the Listes wt his chayre and alle his Instruments at ye Comandement of ye Conestable and Marerequire the jugement.

foresaide Appellant

Thanne fitteth it to the Counsaille of the saide Appellant to ask a place of ye kyng afore hym withinne the barres upon his right hande that ye saide Counsaille of th appellant may come and stande there whanne they be discharged of ye saide schal,

Appellant. The cause

is this that suche pyte may be given to ye kyng if God that noon of dye that daye for he may by his prowaie royal in such a cas take it into his hande the foresaide Counsaille of the Appellant to abyde in the saide place til the kyng have geven his jugement upon him And thanne ye Conestable and Mareschal shal deliwer the foresaide Appellant by ye Comandement of the kyng to his foresaide Counsaille to govern hym of his going out of ye feelde as wele as they did of his comyng in his worship to be saved in al that lyeth en hem. And soo to bryng hym to his Logging agayne to unarme hym comforte hym and counsaille hym And some of his Counsaille may goo to the kyng and comon wt hym and wite of the kyng how he shal be demeaned. This enarmyng here aforesaide is best for a battaille of arreste wt a sworde a dagger an Ax and a pavys til he come to th asseblee his sabatons & his tunycle evoyded And thanne the Auctor Johan Hyll dyed at London in Novembie the xiii th yere of kyng Henry the Sixt so that he accomplished noo mor of ye compylyng of this [383] trayties on whose soulle God have mercy for his

hem

shal

—

endles passion

Amen.

APPENDIX D TRAITE DU COSTUME MILITAIRE,

1446

Bib. Nat., Paris (fonds Frangais, 1997)

Given

in full in

Du

Costume Militaire des Franpais en 14.4.6,

Rene de

Belleval,

1

866

Mais quant a la faczon de leur harnoys de joufte, fuis content de le vous declairer plus largement, affin que pour lavenir ceulx qui voudront joufter y preignent exemple, foit de y adjoufter ou de y ofter, comme mieulx verront et congnoifleront y eftre neceffaire.

Et tout premierement vueil commancer au harnoys de tefte, ceft aflavoir au heaume, lequel eft fait en cefte faczon, comme cy apres me orrez declairer et premierement lefdiz heaumes font, fur le fommet de la tefte jufques a la veue, fors et efpes et ung pou fur le rondelet, par faczon que la tefte ne touche point encontre, ;

y peut avoir efpace de troiz doiz entre deux. Item, de deflbbz de la veue du heaume, qui arme par davant tout le vifaige depuis les deux aureilles jufques a la poitrine et endroit les yeulx qui s'appelle la veue, avance et boute avant troiz bons doiz ou plus que n'eft le bort de deffus entre lequel bort de deifus et celuy de deflbbz ny a bonnement defpace que ung bon doy et demy pour y povoir veoir, et n'eft ladifte veue, tant dun coufte que dautre, fendue que environ dun efpan de long, mais voulentiers vers le coufte feneftre eft ladifte veue plus cloufe et le bort plus en bouty dehors que n'eft de lautre cofte droift. Item, et ledit deffobz ladifte veue marche voluntiers fur la piece de deffus la tefte deux bons doiz, tant dun coufte que dautre de la veue, et clone de fors clox qui ont les uns la tefte enbotie, et les autres ont la tefte du clou limee affin que le rochet ny prengne. Item, la piece deffufditte qui arme le vifaige eft voluntiers large et deftendant prefque dune venue jufques a la gorge, ou plus bas, affin quelle ne foit pas li pres des Ainfois qui le veult faire a point fault vifaiges quant les cops de lance y prennent. Et a cefte difte piece, du cofte quil y ait quatre doiz defpace du moins entre deux. droift de la lance, endroit la joue, deux ou trois petites veues qui viennent du long depuis le hault de la joue jufques au collet du pourpoint, affin que Ten nait schault dedens le heaulme, et auffi affin que on puiffe mieulx ouir ou veoir celuy qui le fert ain9ois

;

de

la lance.

Item, I'autre piece dudit heaume arme depuis les aureilles par darriere le long du coul jufques trois doiz fur les efpauUes par bas, et par hault, auffi jufques a trois doiz fur la nuque du coul. Et vient faczonnee une arrefte aval qui vient en eftroiffiffant laquelle piece fur le collet du pourpoint, et fe relargift fur les efpauUes en deux deffufdifte neft jamais faifte forte ne efpeffe, ain^ois la plus legiere que on la peult ;

23

m

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

178

faire eft la meilleure

heaulme

;

et

pour conclufion

faire ces trois pieces deflufdiftes font le

entier.

la ceft aflavoir Item, quant a larmeure du corps, il y en a de deux faczons piece, a la arrefte eft clox et faufve que le voulant armer premiere comme curaffe a par faczon que le voulant ne peut aller ne jouer hault ne bas. Item, lautre faczon eft de brigandines ou aultrement dit curraffines, couvertez et clouees par pieces petittes depuis la poitrine en a bas, ne ny a aultre differance de celle cy aux brigandines que on porte en la guerre, iinon que tout ce que contient la poitrine jufques aux faulx eft dune feuUe piece et fe lace du cofte de la main droite ou par darriere du long de lefchine. Item, larreft eft efpes, grox et materiel au plaifir de celui qui le fait faire. Item, oudit harnoys de corps y a principallement deux boucles doubles, ou une boucle double et ung aneau lime, ou meilleu de la poitrine, plus hault quatre doiz que le faulx du corps, et lautre du coufte feneftre longues ; de lautre ung pou plus lefquelles deux boucles ou aneau font pour atacher ledit heaume a la curaffe haulte ou brigandine ceft affavoir la premiere fert pour metre une trefle ou corroye oudit heaulme a une autre pareille boucle comme celle la, qui eft oudit heaume clouee fur la pate dudit heaume davant le plus a lendroit du meillieu du travers que len peult, et ont voulentiers lefdidtes treffes et couvertures de cueur trois doubles lun fur lautre lautre feconde boucle ou aneau a main feneftre refpont pareillement a une aultre boucle ou aneau qui eft oudit heaulme a la feneftre partie sur la pate dudit heaulme et ces deux boucles ou aneaux feneftres fervent efpeciallement pour la bufFe, ceft aflavoir que quand le rochet atache {a touche) fur le hault de lefcuczon ou heaume, cefte trefl'e ou courroye deflufdifte garde que le heaulme ne fe joigne a la joe feneftre par la faczon que ledit joufteur en puifl'e eftre depis. Item, en ladifte brigandine ou curafl"e y a en la feneftre partie en la poitrine, pres du bort du braz feneftre, a ung doy pres endroit le tour du braz hault, troiz doiz plus bas que la boucle de quoy on lafl'e ladifte brigandine fur lefpaulle, ung crampon de fer du gros dun doy en ront, dont les deux chefz font rivez par dedens et ladifte piece au mieulx quil fe puet faire, et dedens dudit crampon fe pafl*e deux ou trois tours une grofl"e trefle bonne et forte qui depuis pafl!e parmy la poire, laquelle poire de laquelle poire la haulteur eft vouluntiers dun eft aflife et cache ledit crampon bon doy, fur laquelle lefcu repofe, et eft atache par lefdits pertuys dudit efcu de la trefl^e qui eft atachee audit crampon, laquelle fort par le meilleu de ladidle poire. Item, en ladide curafl"e y a darriere, ou meilleu du creux de lefpauUes, une boucle ou aneau qui fert pour atacher une trefle ou courroie a une autre boucle du heaulme darriere, fi que le heaulme ne chee davant, et affin aufll que la veue foit de la haulteur et demeure ferme que le joufteur la vieult. Item, oultre plus en ladifte curafl^e y a ung petit aneau plus bas que nul des aultres, aflls plus vers le faillement des couftez a la main feneftre, auquel len atache dune aultre legiere trefl*e la main de fer, laquelle main de fer eft tout dune piece et arme la main et le braz jufques troiz ou quatre doiz oultre le code. Item, depuis le code jufques au hault, cache {cachant) tout le tour de lefpaulle ung petit garde braz dune piece, et fe defcent jufques fur le code quatre doiz. a y ;

:

:

;

:

;

;

APPENDIX D

179

Item, a la main droite y a ung petit gantellet lequel fe appelle gaignepain et depuis le gantellet jufques oultre le code, en lieu de avant braz, y a une armeure qui fe appelle efpaulle de mouton, laquelle eft faczonnee large endroit le code, et fe efpanouift aval, et endroit la ploieure du braz fe revient ploier par faczon que, quant len a mis la lance en laiTeft, laditte ploieure de laditte efpaulle de mouton couvre depuis la ploieure du braz ung bon doy en hault. Item, pour armeure de lefpauUe droite y a ung petit garde braz fait a lames, fur lequel y a une rondelle joignant une place, laquelle rondelle fe haulfe et fe beffe quant on vieult metre la lance en larreft, et fe revient recheoir fur la lance quant elle eft oudit arreft, par telle faczon quelle couvre ce que eft defarme en hault dentre la lance et ledit garde braz. Item, auffi oudit royaulme de France fe arment de harnoys de jambes quant ilz ;

jouftent.

Item, quant a la faczon des eftacheures dudit harnoys par bas, ii que il ne fourmonte point encontremont par force des copz, je men pafTe a le declairer pour le prefent, car il y en a plufeurs faczons. Ne aufTi daultre part ne me femble pas fi quil fe doye divulguer li publicquement. Item, quant eft des lances, les plus convenables raifons de longueur entre grappe et rochet, et auffy celles de quoy on ufe plus communuement eft de treze piez ou de treze piez et demy de long. Item, et lefdiz rochez font vouluntiers de ouverture entre chafcune des trois pointes de deux doiz et demy ou trois au plus. Item, lefdidles grappes font voulentiers plaines de petittes pointes agues {aigu'e's) comme petiz dyamens, de groffeur comme petittes nouzilles, lefquelles pointes fe viennent arrefter dedens le creux de larreft, lequel creux de larreft plain de bois ou de plomb affin que lefdittes pointes ne puiffent fouir, par quoy vient ladifte lance a tenir le cop en faczon quil fault que elle fe rompe en pieces, que len affigne bien ou que le joufteur ploye lefchine fi fort que bien le fente. Item, les rondes deffufdidtes lances ne couvrent tout autour au plus aller que ung demy pie, et font vouluntiers de trois doiz defpes de bourre feutree entre deux cuirs, du coufte devers la main par dedens. Et oultre plus pour faire fin a la maniere que len fe arme en fait de jouxtes ou pais et contree que jay cy defous declaie, ne diray aultre chofe pour le prefent, finon que ung bon ferviteur dun joufteur doit regarder principallement trois chofes fur fon maiftre avant quil luy donne fa lance ceft afTavoir que ledit joufteur ne foit defarme laultre fi eft que ledit joufteur ne de nuUes de fes armeures par le cop precedent ledit pareillement par cops precedent quil aura eu ; mehaigne ou eftourdy foit point le tiers fi eft que ledit ferviteur doit bien regarder fil y a autre preft fur les rengs qui ait fa lance fur faulte, et preft pour joufter contre fondit maiftre, afBn que fondit maiftre ne tienne trop longuement fans faire courfe la lance en larreft, ou quil ne face fa courfe en vain et fans que autre vienne a lencontre de luy. :

;

;

APPENDIX E EXTRACTS FROM THE ORDINANCES OF THE ARMOURERS OF ANGERS STATUTS DES ARMURIERS FOURBISSEURS D'ANGERS, Quiconque vouldra

1.

d'espees et de harnois

.

estre

armurier ou brigandinier, fourbisseur et garnisseur

faire le pourra.

.

.

1448

.

.

,

quels maistres desd. mestiers seront tenus besoigner et faire ouvrage de bonnes etoffes, c'est assavoir pour tant que touche les armuriers, ils feront harnois It. les

2.

blancs pour

hommes

d'armes de toute epreuve qui est a dire d'arbalestes a tilloles et moins demie espreuve, qui est a entendre d'arbaleste a crocq et traict e'archiers, et pour tant que touche les brigandiniers ils seront tenus pareillement faire brigandines, c'est assavoir les plus pesantes de 26 a 27 livres poix de marc tout au plus, tenant espreuve d'arbaleste a tilloUes et marquees de 2 marques, et les moindres de 1 8 a 20 livres, tel poix que dessusu et d'espreuve d'arbaleste a crocq et traict d'archier, marquees d'une marque. Et seront icelles brigandines d'assier, trampees partout et aussi toutes garnies de cuir entre les lames et la toile, c'est assavoir en chacune rencontre de lames, et ne pourront faire lesd. brigandines de moindre poix de lame. 3. It. et fauldra qe lesd. lames soient limees tout a I'entour a ce que tes ettofFes a coursel a tout le

.

.

.

durent plus largement.

Que

.

.

.

marchans

et ouvriers desd. mestiers, tant faiseurs d'espees, haches, guysarmes, voulges, dagues et autres habillemens de guerre, seront tenus de faire tout ouvrage bon, loyal, et marchant.

10.

las

11. It. que tous fourbisseurs et garnisseurs d'espees, tant vielles que neuves, seront tenus de faire fourraux de cuirs de vache et de veau, et les jointures de cuir de vache, la poignee d'icelles nouee de fouer [fouet ?] et se aucunes poignees sont faictes de cuir, icelles poignees seront garnies de fisselles par dessouez, led. cuir. 12. Et pareillement les atelles des fourreaux seront neufvs et de bois de fouteau sec.

.

.

.

It. que nuls marchans ne maistres forains ne pourront tenir ouvrouers ne boutiques de harnois, brigandines, javelines, lances, picques ne espees, ne choses deppendantes desd, mestiers en ceste ville s'ils ne sont maistres en cette ville.

18,

Ordonn. des

180

rois,

T.

XX,

p. 156, etc.

APPENDIX E

181

AGREEMENT TO SUPPLY ARMOUR BY FOREIGN ARMOURERS IN BORDEAUX 1375. Conegude cause sie que Guitard de Junquyeres, armurer de Bordeu, Lambert Braque, d'Alemaine, armurer de cotes de fer, reconegon e autreyan e en vertat confessan aver pres e recebut de la man de Moss, de Foxis 100 florins d'aur d'Aragon, per los quans lo prometan e s'obligan aver portat a Morlaas 60 bacinetz ab capmalh e 60 cotes de fer o plus si plus poden, boos e sufficientz.

Arch, des B. Pyrenees, E, 302,

fol,

129.

PERMISSION GRANTED BY LOUIS XI TO FOREIGN ARMOURERS TO PRACTISE

BORDEAUX FOR TWENTY YEARS

IN

que cum le temps passe de 6 ans ou environ Estienne 1490. Sachent tous Daussone, Ambroye de Caron, Karoles et Glaudin Bellon natifs du pays de Mylan en Lombardie et Pierre de Sonnay natif de la duche de Savoye, les quels ce fussent associes, acompaignes et adjustez entre eulx I'un avecques I'autre, de faire leur residence pesonnelle et continuelle a ouvrer et trafiquer du mestier de armurerie et pour I'espace de 20 ans ou environ. .

.

.

.

Min.

.

dec. not. Frapier,

.

Arch, de la Gironde, Rev. d'Aquitaine, XII, 26.

APPENDIX F EXPENSES OF THE ROYAL ARMOURIES, TEMP. HENRY Brit.

Mus,, Cotton., Appendix XXVIII, 1

76

544

The charges of the king's own armoury accounting the Master of the Armourie's the Clerk Yeoman's wages and 5 armourers for his Highness' own person with Gilder 2 Lockyers, i Millman and a prentice, in the year.

&

fee, I

f.

VIII

In primis the Master of the Armouries fee by the year and is paid by the Customer of Cichister's hands Item the Clerk and Yeoman both, for their wages 22/the month apiece and is paid by the Treasurer of the Chamber by the year Item Erasmus the chief Armourer hath for his wages by the month 26/8 and is paid by the said Treasurer Item Old Martyn hath 38/10 the month which is by the year .

......

....... ........ ........ .... .......

Item Mathew Dethyke hath 24/- the month which is by the year Item Hans Clinkedag hath 24/- the month which is by the year

Kemp hath 24/- the month which is by the year Item the Gilders wages by the year Item the 2 Lockyers have 20/- a month apiece which is by the year Item Jasper

....

Item I Millman 24/- a month which is by the year Item for the prentice 6d. for the day Item for 8 bundles of steel to the said armoury for the whole year 38/- the bundle Item for the costs of the house at £j o o the month which is by the year .

..... ...... Sm.

xxxi

APPENDIX F

183

In primis the wages of 1 2 armourers, 2 locksmiths and 4 prentices to be divided into two shops, every of the Armourers their wages at 24/- the month and the Locksmiths at 20/- a month and every prentice 6d, the day amounteth by the year to Item the wages of 2 millmen at 24/- the month Item to every of the said shops 4 loads of charcoal a month at 9/- the load Item for 1 6 bundles of steel to serve both shops a whole ,

.

..... ..... ......

year at 38/- the bundle I hide of buff leather every month for both shops at 10/- the hide Item for both shops i cowhide a month at 6/8 the hide Item one 1 00 of iron every month for both shops at

Item

6/8 the 100

Item

in

wispe

at 4d.

the

steel for lb.

.

....

both shops every month 15 4| .

.

Item in wire monthly to both shops 1 2 lb. at 4d. lb. Item in nails & buckles for both shops monthly 5/Item to every of the said Armourers Locksmiths & Millmen for their liveries 4 yards broad cloth at 5/the yard and 3 yards of carsey at 2/- the yard which amounteth in the year for 12 armourers 2 Locksmiths and 2 Millmen at 26/- for a man So that these 12 armourers 2 Locksmiths 2 Millmen and 4 prentices will make yearly with the said 16 bundles of steel and the other stuff aforesaid 32 .

harnesses complete, every harness to be rated to the kings Highness at ;^i2 o o which amounteth in the year towards his Grace's charge Item of the said Armourers to be divided into 2 shops as is aforesaid 4 of them shall be taken out of Erasmus' shop wherein his Grace shall save yearly

....

in their

wages and living the sum of

.

civ

APPENDIX G PETITION OF

THE ARMOURERS OF LONDON TO QUEEN ELIZABETH July 13th, 1590 (Lansdowne

To

the Right Honourable the Lords Privie Counseil.

&

MS.

63, 5)

others of the

Queens Most honourable

In most humble wise shew & beseche your honours your poor suppliants the Armourers of London that whereas we having been at great charges these six or seven years as well in making & providing tools & instruments as in entertaining and keeping of foreign men from beyond the seas to learn & practice the making of armour of all sorts which by the goodness of God we have obtained in such sort that at this time we make not onlie great quantitie But also have farre better armors than that wch cometh from beyond the Seas as is sufficiently proved, and fearing that for lack of sale and utterance of the same we shall not be able to keep & maintain the number of our apprentices & servants which are vy well practised in making of all sorts of armors. Our humble suite therfore to yr honors is that it shall please you to be a means to Her Mtie that we may be appointed to bring into her Mties Store at reasonable prices monthly or quarterly the Armor that we shall make till Her Mties Store shall be furnished with all sorts of Armor in such numbers as Her Mtie shall think good & appoint. And we and our posterity shall not only pry for your Honors but also being strengthened by your Honors we do not doubt to serve this land of Englishe Armor in future years as well it is of Englishe Calyvers and muskets wch within this thirtie years or thereabouts was servd altogether with Outlandish peces with no money in respect of those wch are now made in this land, And we are the more bould, to make this our sute to your Honors because it is not a particular Comoditie to us but a benefit to the whole land as may be proved by these reasons viz

as

:

Armour made in this land being not good, the makers may be punished by 1 the laws provided for the same. 2. It is a means to set a great number of Her Majesty's subjects on work in this land, which now setteth a great number of foreigners on work in other lands. 3. It will furnish the land with skillfull men to make and fit armour to men's bodies in far better order than it hath been heretofore. shall be provided within this land of good armour, what restrayntments 4. or quarrels so ever be in other lands, whereas hertofore we have been beholding to other countries for very bad armour.

We

5.

bad and

We

shall

be free from

insufficient

all

armour which

those dangers that

may

ensue by the number of by unskilfuU men that

are brought into this land 184

APPENDIX G

185

know

not what they buy and sell it again to them that know not where to have money although they know it to be very bad. Her Majesties armories at this parte are very weakly furnished and that wch remaynes is neither good in substance nor yet in fashion. So as if it migiit stande in wth yor. LL. good liking it is very needfuU the same should be supplied wth better for their

better choise.

The armor that is here made is accompted far better than that wch cometh from beyond the Seas and would well servi for he Mties store So as it might be delivered in good tyme wch the Armorers will undertake to prove but the armor wch they make is wholly blacke, so that unless they will undertake to serve white wth al it The

proportion that shall be delivered I refer to yor 11. consideracion theire offer is to deliver to the number of eight thousand wthin fyve Theire yeres and so after a further proporcion it so shall seem good to yor LL. severll prices are hereunder written wch is as lowe as can bring it unto. will not be so serviceable

Launce armor compleat Corslets compleate xxx

iii li

iii s.

Burgonetts

iiii

viii d.

s

s.

Curate of proofe wth poldrons Ordinary curate wth poldrons Target of proofe xxx s.

Murrions

vi

xl

s.

xxvi

s

viii d.

d.

iiii s.

Endorsed the humble petition of the Armorers of London. It is

signed by

Richard Harford. John sewell. Richard Woode

Wm.

Pickering.

RW. i

3

July

Lee

24

1

590.

to inform.

APPENDIX H UNDERTAKING OF THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY OF LONDON TO MAKE CERTAIN ARMOURS EVERY SIX MONTHS AND THE PRICES OF THE SAME From

The "

is

records of the

Company

dated

1

Privy Council on the 15th of March, 161

7th March, 8,

1

6 18

made inquiry

:

Who

be the ingrossers of Plate to make Armor in London, and secondly what " the reason of the scarcity of Armor, and how it may be remedied ?

The Company

agreed to the following answer being sent

:

we know no ingrossers of such Plate and we have called to our Hall all the workmen of Armor in London and we find them very few, for that in regard of the long peace which, God be thanked, we have had, they have "

That concerning the

first

having imployment for making of Armor, nor the means to utter the same if they should make it, for the remedy of which scarcity, if it please the Privy Council to take order that the Armorers' work to be by them made in London, may be taken and paid for at every six months end. They will undertake, if continually employed, to use their best means for provision of stuff to make armor in every six months to furnish One hundred Lance Armor, Two hundred Light Horsemen's Armor, and Two hundred Footmen's Armor at such rates and prices as foUoweth." settled themselves to other trades, not

The Lance Armor,

containing Breast, Back, Gorget, Close Head piece, Poulderons and vambraces. Gushes, and one Gauntlett, to colored Russet, at the price of The Light Horseman's Armor being Breast, Back, Gorgett a barred Head piece, Pouldrons, and an Elbowe Gauntlett, to be Russet, at the price of The Footman's Armor, containing Breast, Back, Gorgett, head piece, and laces, with iron joints, to be colored russet, at the price of

....... .........

.

.

.

186

^4

o

o

^2

10

o

^^i

10

o

APPENDIX

I

PROCLAMATION AGAINST EXCESSIVE USE OF GOLD AND SILVER FOLIATE, WHICH IS TO BE CONFINED TO ARMOUR AND, ENSIGNS OF S.P.D. Jac.

I,

cv,

HONOUR

February 4th, 161

8.

Prod. Collec. 65

....

and furthermore the better to keepe the gold and silver of this kingedome not onely within the Realme from being exported, but that it may also bee continued in moneys and coyne, for the use and commerce of his Majestie and his loving subjects and not turned into any dead masse of Plate nor exhausted and consumed in vanities of Building and pompous use of Gold and Silver Foliate which have beene in the Reignes of divers kings of this Realme and the better to prevent the unnecessary and excessive waste of Gold and Silver Foliate within this realeme His Majestie doth likewise hereby prohibit and forbid 7 hat no Gold or Silver Foliate shall be from henceforth wrought, used or imployed in any Building, Seeling, Waniscot, Bedsteds, Chayres, Stooles, Coaches or any other ornaments whatsoever. Except it be Armour or Weapons or in Armes and Ensignes of Honour at Funerals. .

.

.

;

Feb.

187

4.

161 8.

APPENDIX

J

ERECTION OF PLA.TING-MILLS AT ERITH BY CAPT. JOHN MARTIN 1624 State Papers Domestic, Jac.

I,

Vol.

CLXXX,

71

King Heni-y the eight being resolved to have his armorye alwayes stronge and wt thirtie or fowertie thousand armes to be in Rediness to serve the necessities of th times (how suddaine so evr) caused a batterie mill to be built

richly furnished all

Detford nere Grenew^h for the batteringe of plaetes for all sorts of armes but dyed before the bsiness was perfected. In the time of Queen Elizabeth Captain John Martin and myself resolvinge on endeavors to the furtheringe so good a worke resolved y' I should go to Inspurge wch is uppon the Germaine Alpes and into Lukland likewise to bring over into England at

seven or eight plaeters, the beste that might be found (wch was donne to ow^ very great chardges) and im ediately ther uppo fallinge to worke in a batterie mill wch we likewise erected nere unto Erith in Kent and in y' place wrought as many plates of all sorts as served very nere for twentie thousand armors and targets never having the All wch plaeters formerly brought misterie of plaeting mills in England before. over are now dead save one, and he of so cunninge and obstinate a disposition that he would nev"" yet be brought to teach any Englishman the true misterie of plaeting

unto this day.

The beste plaetes that have been formerly knowen to be in Christendome have been made of Inspurg stuff wch place hath continually served Milan Naples and other nations, and latelie England also, wch place beinge so remote and in the Emperor his owne countrie, it is not possible that wth any conveniencey any stronge plaetes can be now bought from thence as formerly we have had. But if his Ma^'e will be plesed to have his armorie continually furnished wth thirtie or fortie thousand armes or more to what number he shall be beste plesid as hath been the course and resolution of his Roiall pdecessors, y' may now be done wth Englishe Irone, by a misterie yet unknown, either to smolten plaetes or armour and to be of such strength and lightnes, for the ease and pservation of the life of the souldier as none can be better found in any nation in Christendome from the pistole to the musket. It hath been observed in all antient histories and in the rule of our later moderne wars, that the goodness strength and lightness of armes hath been so great an incoradgement unto the souldier as hath made him stand faste in the time of great and strong chardges of the enemye, and to give valiant and couradgeous chardges, and assaults when they have been assured of the strength and goodness of theyre armes. 188

APPENDIX J

189

The raetes for Plaetes and armors exactly examined for the prices the strength and lightness considered are thus reduced. The chardge

of a tun of Armor plaetes chaldron of coles wt. carriage will be The workmen for battering this tun of plaetes will have uppon every hundred 4/Reparation weekly for the mill

Two

£1^

o

I

12

o

.

A

Clarke's

wages weekly

Extraordinary chardges toe

&

froe for carridges

These particular chardges come

The

true chardge of

severall pportions

£25

to

o o

12 12 10

o O O O

6

o

such sorts of armor as they will stand you in wt. their and such apporveable goodness as we never heretofore have had. all

Sixe hundred of iron will make five hundred of plaetes wch. will be a skore of ordinary curatts of pistoU proofe wch. cometh toe wth pouldrons .

.

The Armourers may make them wt due nayle and lether them for These twentie armours will yeild So in these twentie armours is sum of .

,

shape black

.

.

.

.

clerely

.

.

5100

.7100 26

gained

,

o

.

o

the

.

.1300 .3120

Power hundred of plates will make 20 paier of curatts wt out pouldrons The Armorers may pportion them, black lether & naile them for .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

These 20 paire of curatts will yeld In these 20 paire of curatts is clerely gained .

.600

.

.

20

o

.

.

10

8

o o

The chardge

of 20 lance armours. Sixteen hundred of plaetes will

make

twentie lance

.1480

armours wch come to The Armourers may finishe them upp for fourtie shillings the armour wch comes to These 20 launce armours will yeld fower pounds a piece wch amounteth unto So yt in these 20 launce armours is clerely gained .

.

.

.

.

.

.

40

o

o

.

.

.

80

o

.

25 12

o o

Five hundred of plaetes will make twentie proof targetts

wch will come to The armourers may finishe them lether them and them with all other chardges for .

.

.

Thes

the piece be cleared

targets will yeld (24s.'

In these targetts 1

may An

.

.

)

error in the original

.

—

this

.4100 .1200 .2600

blacke

.

should be 26s.

.

910

O

190

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT Twelve hundred of plaetes

will

curatts with stronge capps

make 20 paire of stronge wch will stand in .

The Armourers may finishe them wch amounteth unto

.

.

.

These 20 paier of stronge curatts wt their capps will yeld 4 li. the paier wch cometh toe So that by these 20 paier of stronge curatts will be clerely gayned

With fower

o

30

o

o

80

o

o

39 10^

o

for (30s.) the paire

.

.

;^io 16

.

.

.

.

.

.

may

be wrought up in one weeke 3700 weight of plates. The pfitt of wch weekly, as by the particulars may appear will be 98 14 And if these fower plaeters be emploied the whole year (abating one month in the year for idle dayes) it amounteth unto per ann .473711.12 plaeters

.

.

^

Should be

.

4s.

.

.

o

o

APPENDIX K HALL-MARK OF THE ARMOURERS' COMPANY Carolus

I,

ann. 7, 1631.

Rymer, Vol. XIX, 309

"John

Franklin, William Crouch, John Ashton, Thomas Stephens, Rowland WiUiam Coxe, Edward Aynesley, Armourers & freemen of the company of Armourers ar ordered to dehver 1 500 armours each month with arms, pikes &c. and to train prentices and to mend, dress stamp armours." The document goes on to state " you ar to approve of all such armour of the said common Foster, Nicholas Marshall,

&

armes

& trayned bands as shall be found

fit for service, and shall trye all sorts of gunnes, armes and trayned bands before they be used or excersied and to approve of such as are serviceable for warres at the owners charges and being proved shall allow as fit for service and allowing shall stamp the same with A. and a Crown being the hall mark for the company of workmen armourers of London which marke or stamp our pleasure is shall with consent of the lord lieutenant or his deputy lieutenant remayne in their custodye who shall have the charge to be intrusted with the execution of this service. And because diverse cutlers, smythes, tynkers & othe botchers of armes by their unskilfulness have utterly spoiled many armes, armours gunnes and pykes, and bandoliers ... we doe hereby prohibit that noe person or persons whatever, not having served seven years or been brought up as an apprentice or apprentices in the trade and mysterie of an armourer, gunmaker, pyke-maker and bandolier-maker and thereto served their full tyme of seven years as aforesaid ... do make, alter, change, dress or repayr, prove or stamp any armes, armours, gunnes, pykes or bandoliers ... we do absolutely forbid that no ironmonger, cutler or chandler or other person whatsoever doe vent or sell any armours, gunnes, pikes or bandoliers or any part of them except such as shall be proved and stamped with the said hall marke of the company of workmen armourers aforesaid being the proofe marke that hereafter there shall be but one uniform Fashion of Armour of the said Trayned Bands throughout our said Kingdome of England & Dominion of Wales whereof the Patterns are and shall remayne from tyme to tyme in our said Office (of Ordinance)."

pikes, bandaliers of the said

common

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

19X

.

.

APPENDIX L PETITION OF

THE WORKMEN ARMOURERS OF LONDON TO THE COUNCIL S.P.D. Car.

I,

cclxxxix, 93,

May, 1635

Petitioners being few in number & most of them aged about 7 years past sued Her Mtie for some employment for preservation of the manufacture of armour making within the kingdom. Her Mtie on advice & report of the Council of War to

&

was then called granted petitioners a patent which 2 years passed the great seal by the Council for further consideration. Pray them to take the same into consideration and the distress of petitioners & either to pass the patent or if there be any omission in it to give orders for drawing up another.

for

192

APPENDIX

M

EXTRACT FROM SURVEY OF THE TOWER ARMOURY,

1660

MS. 7457

Harl.

Wee doe find aswell upon our owne view as upon the information of diverse oiBcers of the Armoury stoorekeeper and others That dureing the time of the late distraccions The severall Armes amunition and Habiliments of Warre formerly remaineing in the greene Gallery at Greenwich were all taken and carryed away by sundry Souldiers who left the doore open That sundry of the said Armes were afterwards brought into the Tower of London by Mr. Anneslye where they are still remaineing That the Wainescot in the said Gallery is now all puU'd downe and carryed away and (as are informed) was imployed in wainescotting the house in the Tower where the said Mr. Anneslye lived That a great part of the severall Tooles and other utensils for makeing of Armour formerly remaineing in the Master Armourers workehouse there and at the Armourers Mill, were alsoe within the tyme of the said distraccions taken and carryed away (saving two old Trunkes bound about with Iron, which are still remaineing in the said workehouse, One old Glazeing wheele, still at the Mill, and one other glazeing wheele sold to a Cutler in Shoo lane) That sundry of the said Tooles and other utensills have since byn converted and sold to private uses, by those who within the tyme of the late distraccions had the Command and care of the said armes and Tooles, both at Greenwich and at the Tower That diverse of the said Tooles are still in other private mens hands, who pretend they bought them That the great Anville (called the great Beare) is now in the custodye of Mr. Michaell Basten, locksmith at Whitehall, and the Anville knowne by the name of the little Beare, is in the custodie of Thomas Cope, one of His Majesties Armourers And one Combe stake in the Custody of Henry Keeme one other of his Majesties Armourers And that the said Mill formerly employed in grinding and glazeing and makeing cleane of Armes, is destroyed and converted to other uses by one Mr. Woodward who claims it by virtue of a Graunt from King James (of blessed memorye) but the officers of the Armorye (for his Majesties use) have it now in their possession. That the severall distinguishments of the Armors and Furnitures , ^^ Memorandum. ^^^^^^ mencioned, viz' The first serviceable. The second defective, and to be repaired, The third unserviceable, in their owne kinds, yet may be employed for necessary uses, are soe reported by Richard Kinge and Thomas Cox, two of his Majesties Armorers at Greenwich, who were nominated and appointed in his Majesties Commission, under his signe Manual before recited, to be assistant in this Service And we doe thinke the same to be by them faithfully and honestly soe distinguished. Greenwich

;

;

;

We

;

:

:

:

;

:

Will. Legge', Master of 25

his Majesties

Armories. 193

RoBiNSON, Lt: Ten: Toure. Jo. Wood, Barth Beale. J.

INDEX Barendyne helm, 17, 119 Barrel for cleaning armour, 79 Baskets for armour, 81 Battering-mills, 22, 35, 188 Beauchamp, Richard, Earl of Warwick, 15, 138

Alba, Duke of, 132 Albrecht, Harnischmeister, 9, 134 Almain armourers, 14 settle in England, 16

Almain Armourer's Album, Almain rivet, 52

Amman,

Jest, 24,

— Pageants,

19, 143

Belleval,

36

Bradshaw, Hat of, 99 Brampton, Nicholas, 88

1

Brassard, Construction of, 53

— of

for,

— — Proving 64 — Reinforcing

Armourers' Company of London, 120

Ash, Monument

36

30,

98

Buttin, Charles,

mail,

viii,

62, 68, loo

Hugh, discards leg-armour, Camail, Construction of, 45 Camelio, Vittore, 131 Campi, Bartolomeo, 37, 76, 132 Cantoni brothers, 133 Castile, Helmet of JKing of, 73 Calverly, Sir

46

Barcelona, 12

Bards of leather Turin, 102

—

24

99

B Banded

50

pincers in the,

—

at,

in,

Museum, Anvil and

Brigandine cap, 30 Brocas helm, 17, iii, 119 Buckram used for armour, 86 Buff coat. Last use of, 103 Bullato, Baltesar, 16 Burgmair, Hans, 131 Burgonet, Skilful forging of, 51 Meyrick's views on the, 54 Burrel, Walter, on iron-smelting, 39 Burring machine, 36

04

51, 106 Ashford, Helm at, 17, 18 Ashmolean Museum, Pictures Leather gauntlet in, ^6 hat,

plates for the,

British

70

for proving armour,

49

of,

absorb the Bladesmiths, 1 24 and the informers Tipper and Dawe, 123 employed for coin-striking, 123 examine imported armour, 123 Hall-mark of, 1 24, 191 Regulations for apprentices of, 1 24 Armourers, Regulations for, 57

Arrows

loo

Brigandine, Construction of, 29, Marking of, 71

of,

of,

cuir-bouilli,

Brescia, 13 Breughel, Picture by, 35, 92 Brigandarius, Office of^ 61

left side,

Illustrations of, 22-4,

74

Bracers for archers, loi Bracket for sallad, 56

of,

— Marks

1

—

— — cut up — Disuse 116 — Painted, 80 — reinforced on 52 — covering 93 — Tinned, 33 — Weights 42, 116 Scarlet

1

Blewbery, John, 60 Tools of, 27, 30 Bordeaux, 12 Bottes, Armure a, 62 cassees, 62

Arming-doublet, 106 Arming-nails, 52 Arming-points, 30, 109, iii Armour, Simplicity of English, 16 Boxes for, 82 for lock-plates,

15

Marquis de,

Berardi, Guigliemo, Statue of,

Angellucci, Major, on "proof," 63, 67 Anvils, 24 Arbois, 14, 136 Armenia, Poisoned ore in, 40

effigy of,

in

Tower and Armeria

Reale,

Painting of, 98

195

1

15

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

196

Catheloigne, 13 Cavalry, Weight of modern equipment of,

1

1

Fabrics imitated in armour, 77 Falkenor, Petition by, $<)

Benvenuto, on damascening, 76 Chalcis, Italian armour from, 18, 78 Brigandine-plates from, 50 Charnel, The, ill Charles I, Armour of, jS Charles V, 2, 16, 132, 134 Cellini,

—

FalstofFe, Inventory of Sir John,

at,

31

Fogge Helm, 17 Foulke, Roger, 41

Chiesa, Pompeo della, 37, 140 Christian II, Armour in Dresden of, 75

Cloueur, Demi, 62 Haute, 62 Clous perdus, 1 Coats of fence, 84, 87 Colleoni, Pauldrons on statue

q2

Field of the Cloth of Gold, Armourers Florence, Armourers of, 14

Framlingham Castle inventory, 25 Frauenpreis, Matthaias, 135

—

of, 5

Galeazzo Maria Sforza, 133 Galliot de Balthasin, 1 1 Gambesons, Regulations for making, 85 soaked in vinegar, 92 Garbagnus, 21, 68 Gauntlet discarded for complex sword-hilt, 7 Gaya mentions proof of armour, 28, 69 " Glancing surface," The, 3, 4

Colman, Coloman, 133 Desiderius, 134 his rivalry with the Negrolis, 16 Lorenz, 133 Cologne, 12 Cosson, Baron de, viii, 84, 138

— —

—

Craft rules, 3

Cramer,

J.,

Cuir-bouilli,

44

Glazing-wheels, 31 Goodrich Court, Leather armour at, 98 New College armour at, 65 Gratz, Armoury at, 18 " Great Bear " anvil, 35, 193

97

Cuisse for foot-soldier, 6 Curzon, The Hon. R., <)6

Greenwich, Workshops

— Painting of

D D'Aubernon, Brass of Davies, Edward, 48

at,

32

a jack at,

49 Gresham, Steelyard of Sir Thomas, 19

Sir John,

Grune}valt, Hans, 135 Guiart, 84

74

Dawtrey helm,

Guidobaldo

De

Guise,

1 19 Bures, Brass of Sir Robert, 74 Deforestation due to iron-smelting, 58 Derby, Earl of, brings over Milanese armourers, 15 Derrick's Image of Ireland, 48 Dillon, Viscount, viii, 107, 109, 144 Ditchley accounts, 19 on proof of armour, 66

II,

132

Armour of

the

Due

de, 65,

Gustavus Adolphus, Leather coat guns of, ^(), 102

1

of,

18

88

H Hall-mark of the Armourers' Company, 60, 70, 120 Hampton Court, Portrait of the Due de Nevers at,

Dobbles, 28, 104 Doul, Dr., and the Armourers' Company, 122

Dover

Castle inventory, 25, 33, 79 Dresden, Armour in, 75, 80, 134-7, 140 Dudley, Dud, 40, 41 Diirer, Albrecht, 89, 131

30, III Haselrigg's " lobsters," 8 Hastings MS. mention of padding, 88 regulations for under-garments, 107 Battle of, I

— and the Armourers' Company, 121 England, Documents relating to armourers

Edward

Haustement, The, III Hearne, his visit to Ditchley, Helm for " barriers," 7

II

57-60 " Engraved

in,

— Fastenings

for,

1

112

Helmet-caps, 89 suit,"

Tower,

lo, 53, 74,

Eyelet coats, 90 Erasmus (Kirkenor), 60 Erith, Plating-mills at, 34, 188

Estrama^on, Proof by, 02

142

Helmschmied, see Colman Helmsmith at work, 23 Hengrave Hall inventory, 48

Henry VIII, suit for fighting on foot, 57 " Engraved" suit, lo, 53, 74, 142

—

INDEX Henry VIII imports armourers, 1 Henry, Prince of Wales, Armour Hewitt, John,

vii,

Legg, Col. William, Master of the Armouries, 34, of, II, 2o,

59 " Leicester" suit in the Tower, 57, 144 Lewisham, Armoury mill at, 35

125

Hill, Treatise of Johan, 95, Hippopotamus hide used for

173 armour, 102

Lindsay helm, II Linen armourers, 88, 94 Lochner, Conrad, 136 Locking-gauntlet in Armourers' Hall, ^^, Locking-hooks, 55, 56 Locking-pins, 55 Louis XIV, Armour of, 21

Holinshed's description of jacks, 90 Homildon, Arrows at the battle of, 38

Hope, David

le,

57

Hopfer, Daniel, 136 Horse-armour, 8 padded, 85 of leather, lo2

— — — laminated, 34 Horse-trappers, 84 — of 98 9,

197

— Proof mark on armour

of,

68

M

Weight of modern equipment Iron mills, 58 ore, Poisoned, 40 Prices of, 39 Isebrook, as used by Shakespeare, 38 Infantry,

of,

118, I19

— —

Madrid, Armour in, 16, 29, 57, 75, 76, III, 119, 1 3 1-7, 140 Mail cut up for gussets and sleeves, 19

— Construction 44 — Double, 45 — Proof 62 — Marking — Painted, 80 70 — used end of sixteenth century, — Banded, 146 — makers, 23 of,

of,

of,

at

J Jack, Construction of, 49, 50 Regulations of Louis XI for, 87 stuffed with horn and mail, 92

Jacobi mentioned as master workman, 66 James II, Proclamation against use of gold and silver foliate, 59,

187

Armour given by

the Prince de, Jousting, Position of rider in, 5 Joinville,

25, 145

1

leather,

— —

1

1

Jousting-armour, Construction of, 7 Jousting-helm, Occularium of, 5 Fastenings of, 112

—

134, 136, 141, 142 on making armour, 16, 143 Mendlesham, Village armoury at, 18, 90 Merate brothers, 14, 136 Merchant Tailors, 95 Meyrick, Sir Samuel, vii his theories on banded mail, 48

—

Kelk, John, and the Armourers' " Manakine," 125 Knopf, Heinrich, 75 Kugler supplies inferior metal to Seusenhofer, 13, 38, 142 Kyrkenor, Erasmus, 60

03

Manifer, Main faire. Main de fer, viii, 92 Mantegna, Picture of S. George by, 15, 138 Mantua, Francesco di, 134 Marche, Oliver de la, mentions secret tempering for armour, 67 leather for duelling-armour, 98 Martin, John, Erection of plating-mills by, 34, 188 appeals for German platers, 1 21, 188 Mary of Burgundy, 14 Maximilian I, 1 3 3-7

Maximilian

K

1

II, 2, 14,

his theories

the burgonet, 54 Milan, 12, 13, 138 Important factories of armour in, 15 Milanese armourers employed by Henry VIII, 16,

—

58

Lames simulated by embossing, 1 La Noue criticizes weight of armour, Leather horse-armour, 102 guns, 99, 102 cuisses and morion, 98 Lee, Sir Henry, Armour of, 19, 144 Helmet of, 89, 145 Trial of armour by, 66 Master of the Armouries, 59

— —

Mildmay, 1

16

Sir Walter, and the Armourers' pany, 122 "Milliner" derived from Milaner, 94 Missaglia, The, 21, 137 Helm in the Tower by, 7

— — Antonio, Marks Armour by, — Tomaso, Armour

of,

14,

Mola, Gasparo,

1

39

50 139

by,

1

38

Com-

THE ARMOURER AND HIS CRAFT

198

Proof of armour, 62-72 by Sir Henry Lee, 66 marks on bascinet in Tower, on armour of Louis XIV,

Montauban, Chapeaux de, 12 Moroni, Portraits by, 109 " Muhlberg " suit of Charles V,

—

57 Multscher, Hans, Statue of S. George by, 14

Musee

d'Artillerie,

Armour

21, 57, 64, 6$, 68, 71, 74, III, 119, 136, 139, 140, 143 Eyelet coat in, 90

6. 6!

in,

Horse-armour in, 8 Leather guns in, 102

R Rene, King, 85, 88, 10 Rerebrace, Construction of the, 5

Richmond at Bosworth Field, 2 Richmond, John, and the Armourers' Company,

N

123 Nasal, The, 46 Negrolis, 12, 16, 75, 140 New College, Armour from, 19, 65

Rivets filed flat, 4 Rivet, Sliding, 52, 53 word used for a suit of armour, 52 Robinet, the King's tailor, 82, 91

—

New

York, Anvil in Metropolitan Museum, 24 Niello-work as decoration for armour, 74 North, The Hon. Robert, describes padded armour,

94 Northumberland, Equipage of the Earl

of, 30,

III

Rogers, Prof. Thorold, 38 Rosebecque, Battle of, 10 Rudolph of Nuremberg, 44 Ryall,

Henry

de,

94

O Or San

Michele, Statue of S. George Ortolano, Picture by, 30

in,

14

S.

S.

— S. S.

Painted Chamber, Westminster, Frescoes in, 8 Passau, 13 Mark of the city of, 71 Parkes, his fowling-piece of " Dudley ore," 41 Passe-guard, viii, 52, 92 wrong use of the word, viii, 4 Pauldrons, Large, 5 Pavia, Picture of the battle of, 98 PefFenhauser, Anton, II, 75, 140 Peruzzi, Marchese, 19 Petit of Blois, 76 Petworth, Helm at, 18 Piccinino, Lucio, 11, 140 Pickering, William, 20, 59, 122 Piers Gaveston, Inventory of, 73 Pitt-Rivers Museum, Culottes and coats of fence in

—

—

the,

84

Plate armour on legs. Reasons for, 3 Platers, 22 Plates, Size of, 42 Plating-mills, 34, 188 Pluvinel, De, II4

Poldermitton, The, 7 Poore, William, suggests a preservative for armour, 81 Porte de Hal Musee,jHorse-cuissard in, 9 Eyelet coat in, 90

Privy coats, 87

Demetrius, Picture of, 30 George, Statuette by Multscher of, 15 at Prague of, 51 Engravings by Diirer of, 89 Victor, Picture at Glasgow of, 51 William, Carving at Strasburg of, 106

Sallad cap,

— Cover 89 93 — Venetian, 93 for,

Sanseverino,

Armour

of Roberto

di,

14

Saulx-Tavannes, J. de, 28 Saxe, Marshal, 65, 99 Search, Right of, 20, 58, 121 Sebastian, Armour of King, 75> ^4° Seusenhofers, The, 141 Seusenhofer, Conrad, 10, 74> 77> I41 complains of inferior metal, 1 his workshop described in the Weisz K'unig,

Shrewsbury, Gild of Armourers

at,

59

Sidney, Sir Philip, 1 15 Sigismond of Tirol, Armour of, 2 Siris bronzes, 73 Sliding rivet. Construction of, lo, 52, 53 Smith, Sir John, 91, 113, 145 Solingen, 13 Solleret, Construction of, 6 Unpractical, 1 Speculum Regale, 84 Splinted armour, 49, 51 Spring-pins, 56

—

Staley, E., 14

Stamps, Armourer's, 72 Stanley, John, Sergeant Armourer, 26

INDEX Staples for helms, in Stibbert Museum, 19 Stokes, W., The Vaulting Master, 113 Stone, Benjamin, blade-maker, 60 Sturtevant's Metallica, 63

Surcoat,

The

use of, 79 Sword-pommels used for weights, 19

199

Versy, 12 Vervelles,

46

Vienna, Armour in, 14, 133-41, 143, 145 Brigandine in, 50

— — Helm-cap —

in,

89

Helmet-covers

Vireton,

in,

93

64

W Thyrkill, Richard, 71

Wallace helm,

—

Tilt-hammers, 35, 40 Toledo, 13 Tonlet, 109 Tools, 24-31 Topf, Jacob, 143

Armour Armour

18, 117 Horse-armour

Armour

9

Tools in, 24 Waller, J. G., his views on banded mail, 48

Walsingham, 49

Armourers' Hall by, 125 Peculiarity of hook on armets by, 2 Toulouse, 12 Tower of London, Armour in, 11, 53, 57, 74, 119. 137, i39> 142. 144. 145 in

the Missaglias

in, 7,

64

Jacks in, 49 " Toiras " armour, 60 Tresses, 109 Turin, Armeria Reale, 71, 102, 141 Tyler, Wat, destroys a jack, 49

U Under-garments, 106

Way,

Albert, 107 Weisz Kiinig, 15, 141, 142 Armourer's tools figured Westminster helm, 17, 18, 119

— Workshops

in,

Whalebone used Whetstone,

of,

28

and jacks, 100 armour of proof,

his project for light

59 Willars de Honnecourt, 45

William the Conqueror, i Willoughby, Jack of Sir John, 49 Windsor Park Tournament, 29, 100 Wire-drawing, Invention of, 44 Woolvercote, Sword-mills at, 34 Woolwich Rotunda, Tools in the, 24 helm, 18

6

Van

der Goes, Picture in Glasgow by, 50 Vaulting Master, The, 113 Verney Memoirs, mention of proof of armour, 68 fit of armour, 105

in,

32

for gloves

leather guns, 102

Vambrace, Construction

in,

in,

134, 139, 145 Bascinet and camail in, 46

by, 19, 76

Helm by

Collection,

Zeller, Walter, 92 Zurich, 18

Printed by

William Brendon and Son, Ltd. Plymouth

Ijnj^wfifi